Laney Clark was just 8 when she learned her mother, Erin, just 36 was battling
advanced stage breast cancer. In the beginning, Laney found it very hard
to be away from her mom. A self-confessed worrier, Erin’s breast
cancer made Laney so anxious that she took it upon herself to create backup
plans for rides home at ballet class – fearing her Mom might not
come back to pick her up. That never happened, but it did serve as motivation
for Erin to explore resources that could help Laney deal with her worries
and process the complex emotions she was experiencing.
When a parent is diagnosed with cancer, the joys of childhood are replaced
with a new reality of cancer terminology, treatments and fears. While
Erin endured numerous rounds of chemotherapy, a double mastectomy, reconstructive
surgery, partial hysterectomy and radiation treatments, she worried about
Laney. There were days Erin couldn’t get out of bed or make meals
for her family. A breast cancer nurse navigator at Catawba Valley Medical
Center suggested Laney might benefit from attending a support program
for kids with a parent (or grandparent) who has cancer called CLIMB, an
acronyms for Children’s Lives Include Moments of Bravery. This support
program was developed by the Children’s Treehouse Foundation to
help meet the unique needs of a family coping with the trials of a cancer
diagnoses.
“CLIMB gave Laney a setting where she found comfort by talking about
cancer with other kids experiencing similar difficulties,” said
Erin. “Learning to talk about her feelings was an important step
for Laney. Through CLIMB, she also learned about Camp Kesem, a free summer
camp put on by Duke University with college students specifically trained
to help families like ours coping with similar issues.”
Camp Kesem is located in Sophia, NC – about two and a half hours
from Laney’s home in Hudson, NC. At first Laney was really nervous
about staying at an overnight camp and she worried about whether or not
her parents would come get her on the last day of camp. But, Mike and
Erin helped Laney pack her favorite zebra bed throw and her sock monkey,
which she used to make her stay in a cabin with three other girls feel
more like home. Laney received daily letters from home with encouraging
messages and, perhaps more importantly, steady reassurance that they would
be picking her up on the last day of camp.
“Being at camp really helped bring me peace,” said Laney. “I
realized that my family and I are not alone. I had fun canoeing, paddle
boating, and making all kinds of art and craft projects. I even caught
my first fish – with a hot dog!”
Laney learned that it’s OK to worry, but to not get stuck in the
worry. She found a place where she could just be a kid for a week –
living, laughing and having fun while she also learned to cope with cancer’s
unknowns. Her confidence grew so much that Laney even entered the camp’s
talent show, performing songs like Taylor Swift’s “Shake it
Off” and the theme song from the movie Frozen, “Let it Go.”
After camp, Erin noticed Laney was more confident and her self-esteem
blossomed as she began to make friends who could relate to her situation.
At Camp Kesem, counselors go by code names like Monkey, Bulldog, Flamingo,
and Headgear. They create a high-energy environment with fun activities
such as waterfront sports, teambuilding, cheers, and, Laney’s favorite:
outdoor food fights with applesauce, syrup and Jell-o. Although Laney
was reserved at first, she participated in nightly cabin chats, which
offer an optional time for campers to share (or not share) anything that
is on their mind.
Erin said that Camp Kesem is a truly unique and unforgettable experience.
According to her, “Laney’s learned that she has to have faith
that I’m OK and I’m going to be there to pick her up when
I say I will. She knows that Jesus takes care of us, no matter what –
good news or bad news.”
This August, Laney will return to Camp Kesem for a fourth time. She also
feels she may have found a future calling. “When I’m old enough,
I want to be a Camp Kesem counselor too,” says Laney. “Every
time I wear my Camp Kesem t-shirt, someone asks me about the camp. Last
year I brought a friend I met at CLIMB too. Her mother has colorectal
cancer and I wanted her to go with me to see how much it can help –
while also having fun at summer camp.”
Camp applications are currently open and processed on a first-come, first-serve
basis. All applications are submitted online at
http://www.campkesem.org. If you are interested in learning more, contact Liz Daniels, CVMC Clinical
Social Worker at
edaniels@catawbavalleymc.org or at (828)326-3397.