Camp Kesem Group 1
Camp Kesem at VCU
Children who have a parent who is undergoing treatment for cancer have a chance to get away and experience the simple pleasures of being a kid this summer, courtesy of Camp Kesem.
Through the program, about 45 Virginia youth will participate in a free, week-long camp at Brethren Woods Camp & Retreat in Keezletown, southeast of Harrisonburg, in August, It’s a nonprofit led by college students across the country, including a group at Virginia Commonwealth University.
There are more than 70 camps offered each year in 33 states, serving children age 6 to 16. The program provided camping experiences to more than 5,000 children in 2015.
The VCU student event will be held Aug. 7-13 at the camp, which is in the Shenandoah Valley southeast of Harrisonburg. Camp Kesem offers a chance for the campers to enjoy typical camping activities, including sports, arts and crafts, talent shows, scavenger hunts, sports and drama.
There are no costs to the campers or their families, and the program is funded through donations and community support. VCU students have raised $48,640 for Camp Kesem, according to Lea Baldo, public relations coordinator for Camp Kesem at VCU. It’s the third year for that VCU has participated in the program.
Baldo has served each of the three years with the program. “My parents never had cancer but for as long as I can remember I love to work with children of any age and I love even more to help make a positive impact in their life,” she said in an email.
“For me, being away from home would give me room to grow and escape my worries so that is what I want to help happen for our campers. This isn't a camp for kids to come and talk about their worries from home; its a place where they can escape and be a kid again.”
The VCU students held a variety of fundraisers, including a battle of the bands at The Camel, several restaurant fundraisers, and an event at Hardywood Park Craft Brewery titled Make the Magic. In addition, counselors each raise $500, and coordinators each raise $750.
For more information on Camp Kesem, or to apply, visit this website.
LET'S BE CAREFUL OUT THERE
The number of fatal car crashes has dropped in the United States, but we lag well behind other wealthy nations when it comes to preventing vehicle fatalities, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Here's a snapshot:
Auto fatalities
CDC
CAPSULES
A roundup of health and medical news of the week
- Two Richmond area health systems have earned honors for their use of technology. Bon Secours Virginia Health System and VCU Health each have earned a place on the annual HealthCare's Most Wired survey of health care organizations, which was released on Wednesday by The American Hospital Association's Health Forum.
- Ralph Layman finished the Agoge 60, a 60-hour test of endurance, strength and problem-solving. Layman, the chief of surgery at Henrico Doctors’ Hospital wrote: “It was physically and mentally tough (more mental actually) but I made it through.”
- A program that promotes community-based care as a career option for nursing students has received about $800,000 in federal funding. The two-year grant will go to the Primary care Options to Maximize Opportunities to Transform Education in Nursing, a project of Tamara Zurakowski, a clinical associate professor in the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Nursing Department of Adult Health and Nursing Systems. The program is designed to entice more nurses to consider careers in community-based facilities, which provide healthcare to underserved populations.
- Workers in farming, fishing and forestry had the highest rate of suicide in a study of suicide rates by occupational groups released July 1 by the Centers for Disease Control. Lowest rates were for workers in education training and library groups.
- VCU is making it easier to sign up for clinical trials, courtesy of its StudyFinder, a central site for enrolling in all its trials.
