Brody School of Medicine hosts summer camp for ill children

The ECU Brody School of Medicine is currently hosting a weeklong summer camp program for 100 children suffering with cancer, hemophilia and sickle cell anemia.

The program is divided into separate camps; Camp Rainbow for children with cancer and chronic blood disorders and Camp Hope for children with sickle cell anemia. The camps are being held at the same time at the Don Lee Center on the Neuse River near Arapahoe, NC.

Throughout the week, the children will have the opportunity to participate in camp activities such as arts, music, sailing and kayaking, all within a medically monitored environment that has been designed to meet the children's needs.

"This is an opportunity for them to forget about the routine of being sick, like having to take medicine and see doctors, and just be a kid," said Jacquelyn Sauls, Camp Rainbow's Director.

Along with fun and activities, the children will participate in educational sessions to learn about their illnesses and how they can explain them to others.

They will also have a chance to interact with other children who have the same diseases and been through treatment processes.

"The kids that have already been through chemotherapy and other treatments are coming on the other side to help the newly diagnosed kids," Sauls said.

Camps Rainbow and Hope were started in order to fill the need of a summer activity for sick children who could not attend a regular summer camp. Students and physicians from ECU serve as volunteer counselors for the camps. The camps are nonprofit and are free of cost to participants.

Camps Rainbow and Hope will be in session from June 15-21, and are made possible by the Children's Miracle Network, the ECU Medical & Health Sciences Foundation, the Optimist Club of Garner, Dr. Linda Willis, Calvenia "C.J." Moore and members of the community.

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