me-one camp

[kumimonster]

Last year I volunteered for the Me-One Foundation and after that experience I was ready to sign up for the following year. I'm not sure if I posted about it in here already but this is the mission statement from their website:

"The Me-One Foundation is a non-profit corporation created to provide adult cancer patients and their families with an environment where they can be allowed to embrace life without cancer as the first and foremost thought of their every waking moment. The Me-One Foundation will provide families with activities and events to promote courage, hope, laughter, and enjoyment through Camp Challenge. Camp Challenge is a no-cost camp for families afflicted by cancer and in need of a place of joy and relaxation that will focus them on living life, and not fighting disease. By providing this haven of hope, we allow families to be victorious, even if temporarily, over cancer, and keeping life’s scoreboard at Cancer-Zero; Me-One."

Normally most of my volunteer work is with RockMed but even though RockMed does provide medical care at the camp (as well as run the tie-dye table!), I decided to work as a family host. Basically a host's job is make sure their family gets to their activities on time and also makes things run as smoothly as possible. If the family wants or needs anything, we take care of it and do all the running around. But then we also get to participate in the activities too!

This is me with the Tweets in 2013 and me with Donald in 2014.

We had a blast! And everyone was pretty excited for camp in 2014. Unfortunately, not everyone can come back. There's limited space for families and Me-One wants to give new families the chance to get away so those that want to return are put on a wait-list. Well, there were some last minute cancellations so Donald Tweet was able to come back again.

He was so thrilled! He spoke a lot about coming back again for 2015 but as a volunteer so his spot would be guaranteed! I was host to a different family last weekend so we didn't get to hang out all that much but we did get to catch up a little bit outside off facebook which was great. Unfortunately, he passed away last nite. It took cancer 4 tries before it was able to beat him.

Comments

passing

[wrayb.livejournal.com]

whoa. Didn't see Donald's passing coming as I read along. Saw the fb response from his family to your post there. Brings home what activity like the me one camp can mean to the people who participate.

Re: passing

[kumimonster.livejournal.com]

I saw it at camp I think. The difference from one year to the next... but I didn't think it'd happen so soon.

[missfuzzybunny.livejournal.com]

I am so sorry. It's so great you volunteer for these causes.

4 tries. Yeah. Which is why cancer is so scary. I try not to even think about the one I just went through, because yeah, it likes to return.

My condolences to you and the Tweet family.