UKANDU

Starting in the 90s, The Teen Retreat was originally offered as a program within a program during Camp UKANDU, and was offered as a way to recognize the unique needs of adolescents impacted by cancer. Our teen campers have acted as role models to our younger campers from the beginning, and the Teen Retreat became a way for us to share our appreciation for their contribution to Camp UKANDU. Due to the response from those teens over the years, the Teen Retreat became its own unique program with its own special time in 2009, providing a full weekend of activities and programming that catered to the specific emotional and developmental needs and wants of this age group. Reimagined again in 2017, the Teen Retreat now offers an extension of the “You Can Do!” mantra by presenting opportunities for additional exploration and contemplation of what life looks like as a teenage patient or survivor of cancer. More rigorous outdoor adventures and more intentional reflection during these formative years, this program aims to provide participants with substantive confidence needed to help them confront life as young adults. But as our campers will make clear, “This is not therapy camp!” Like every program UKANDU offers, the teen is rooted in the history of ‘outrageous fun’ that Camp UKANDU started. While there are adults and professionals who come along to play and provide some guidance, any ‘therapy’ that takes place will take place from peer to peer.

UKANDU Family Camp was another logical program extension of the ‘hope and joy’ that Camp UKANDU has delivered for more than three decades. Our Executive Director and Program Director grew tired of the heartbreaking requests from parents asking if their six year old could ‘please just come to camp.’ Knowing that too many children will die before making it to Camp UKANDU meant that we needed to do more. Over years of interacting with the parents of our campers, we realized parents are just big kids too! Parents benefit from having a community of peers who understand their unique challenges as much as their children do. UKANDU Family Camp offers special outdoor adventure programming for the entire family. There are no age restrictions and each member of the family can attend – including all siblings. Sharing our “You Can Do!” spirit with an entire family unit offers growth opportunities for each member of the family. We say Camp UKANDU is a place “where kids can just be kids.’ Offering parents a respite for just a few hours a day, in an environment where they know the special needs of their children will be met, offers a place “for parents to just be human.”

Started in 2018, the UKANDU Family Reunion is for anyone who has attended, or whose family members, attended any of the UKANDU programming over our 36 years. Like any family reunion, and with hundreds of campers and volunteers each year, this affair can be a raucous affair. But like all UKANDU fun, this fun is responsible and deserving of our proud UKANDU name.
This one-day event is offered each year to connect old friends and share stories. Old photos and old videos collide with selfies and video diaries, bringing multiple generations of UKANDUers together. Watching adults who were campers at age 8 interact with current 8 year old campers; and seeing a 30 year old survivor introduce their toddler to their counselor from 20 years ago, makes it clear that we really are part of one big family.

Born out of hardship and necessity, our newest program, UKANDU Virtual Camp, was initially offered as a substitute for Camp UKANDU in the summer of 2020. As that wild experiment proved to be a smashing success, we realized this is an offering we can make every year. Unfortunately, there are children of all ages who are too sick to make it to one of our programs in any given year. And as we learned in 2020, there are families across the country who would love to experience the ‘hope and joy’ that UKANDU provides. So we are committed to offering virtual programming on an ongoing basis for our community.
Virtual programming includes live and interactive as well as pre-recorded material for our participants. Newscasts and campfires; “Kamp Kitchen” cooking classes and art projects; family room or backyard obstacle courses and other physical activities help break up the monotony for children stuck at home or in the hospital. Beyond the magic shows, s’mores and care packages, UKANDU Virtual Camp provides access to ‘community and connection’ that are the hallmark of all UKANDU programming.

UKANDU Corps was conceived by our Executive Director and inspired by his own experience in volunteering at UKANDU. It is in our DNA – heck, it’s in our name! – to remind people that “You Can Do!” a lot in life, no matter your challenges. While Camp UKANDU and other UKANDU programs facilitate this growth and learning in critical ways, UKANDU Corps aims to draw on the powerful experience and self-confidence that comes by serving others. When we see our efforts have a positive impact on someone else’s life and on the world around us, pride and self-worth flourish.
Launching in 2021, UKANDU Corps will bring together participants of UKANDU programming, aged 12-16 with their peers who have no experience with childhood cancer. While the success of UKANDU programs have shown that building a community of young people who share a cancer journey is tremendously important, we don’t want to stop there. We believe we can help bridge the gap between those who understand this journey and those who may be fearful of, confused by, or even jealous of these experiences. These two groups of young people will come together to identify a need in their community and work together, under the guidance of professionals and volunteers, to better the community they share.
UKANDU Corps will bring up to 24 young people together to work in two small groups to advance the initiatives they identify as meaningful and important. Up to $5,000.00 will be offered to each of the identified causes and will be supported by local businesses and other partners. If you would like to get involved with UKANDU Corps, please reach out to our Executive Director, Jason Hickox at [email protected]