ARTICLE
Senior Leaves a Legacy for Families with Cancer As a child, Katie Sweeney learned to cope with her mother's cancer at Camp Kesem, a summer program for children who have parents with the deadly disease. Now the community studies major (Cowell, '16) is paying it forward. Two years ago, she founded a UC Santa Cruz chapter of the national nonprofit, which serves 5,000 children per year across 70 camps. Camp Kesem's first chapter was formed in 2000 at Stanford University, where Sweeney attended from age 7 to 15. Her mother was diagnosed with ovarian cancer when Sweeney was 7, and died four years later. "I remember telling my mom when I was 9 that I wanted to start a Camp Kesem chapter, and her just telling me that I could do it," said Sweeney, now 21. "I think the first couple years I was starting up the chapter it was really hard to separate myself from being a camper too. I was wanting to recreate the same exact experience I had." The camp grew quickly-attracting 24 campers its first year, and 61 the next. This summer, Sweeney expects around 80 children, ages 6 to 18 and mostly from Santa Cruz County, to attend this year's Camp Kesem, hosted in Boulder Creek. The camp is free for the children and teenagers. The camp is quirky. Each camper and counselor chooses his or her own moniker, said Sweeney, who at camp goes by the name "Snickers." Children sing, paint, swim, and hike. The point is not to dwell on cancer, but to have fun, she said. All 35 counselors are UC Santa Cruz students, some who've had experiences with cancer. In three years, the UCSC chapter has raised around $150,000 and attracted more than 100 volunteers, including an advisory board of Santa Cruz area professionals. On April 23, the chapter will host its "Make the Magic" fundraiser dinner on campus. Tickets are available online. Read More about Katie Sweeney and the program.
As a child, Katie Sweeney learned to cope with her mother's cancer at Camp Kesem, a summer program for children who have parents with the deadly disease. Now the community studies major (Cowell, '16) is paying it forward. Two years ago, she founded a UC Santa Cruz chapter of the national nonprofit, which serves 5,000 children per year across 70 camps. Camp Kesem's first chapter was formed in 2000 at Stanford University, where Sweeney attended from age 7 to 15. Her mother was diagnosed with ovarian cancer when Sweeney was 7, and died four years later. "I remember telling my mom when I was 9 that I wanted to start a Camp Kesem chapter, and her just telling me that I could do it," said Sweeney, now 21. "I think the first couple years I was starting up the chapter it was really hard to separate myself from being a camper too. I was wanting to recreate the same exact experience I had." The camp grew quickly-attracting 24 campers its first year, and 61 the next. This summer, Sweeney expects around 80 children, ages 6 to 18 and mostly from Santa Cruz County, to attend this year's Camp Kesem, hosted in Boulder Creek. The camp is free for the children and teenagers. The camp is quirky. Each camper and counselor chooses his or her own moniker, said Sweeney, who at camp goes by the name "Snickers." Children sing, paint, swim, and hike. The point is not to dwell on cancer, but to have fun, she said. All 35 counselors are UC Santa Cruz students, some who've had experiences with cancer. In three years, the UCSC chapter has raised around $150,000 and attracted more than 100 volunteers, including an advisory board of Santa Cruz area professionals. On April 23, the chapter will host its "Make the Magic" fundraiser dinner on campus. Tickets are available online. Read More about Katie Sweeney and the program.