Camp Quality USA Focuses on Joy for Families Facing Cancer

For a child diagnosed with cancer, life can become a whirlwind of hospital visits, treatments, and medical jargon. Camp Quality, an international non-profit, is working to ensure that these children don't lose the most important part of their identity: being a kid.

Operating under the motto “Letting Kids with Cancer be Kids Again,” Camp Quality provides year-round programming and summer camps designed to foster hope and inspiration for the whole family. All of the programming is offered at no cost to the families they serve, which helps to ensure access for children and families regardless of their financial circumstance.

Founded in Sydney, Australia in 1983, the organization has since expanded internationally and now operates summer camps in 13 different states including Arkansas.

Jenn McNew is a territory director who oversees programs in Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana and the Missouri Ozarks. McNew is a pediatric cancer survivor herself. She was diagnosed with retinoblastoma when she was 2 years old. Though she was fortunate to avoid chemotherapy, she recalls the immense emotional burden the diagnosis placed on her family and the long journey toward emotional healing.

“I’m grateful for the work I do at Camp Quality,” McNew said. “I love that it provides an opportunity to show kids there are places of connection, safety, and a sense of belonging. It allows families to realize there are others going through these situations and gives them a chance to take a break from all the worry about the diagnosis.”

Photo Courtesy: Camp Quality

Camp Quality serves children ages 5 to 17 at any stage of their cancer journey including active treatment, remission, or recovery. The program is intentionally inclusive; siblings are also invited to attend, acknowledging that a cancer diagnosis affects the entire household.

Safety is a top priority for the volunteer-run organization. Each camper is typically paired one-to-one with a volunteer companion who serves as a mentor and guardian for the week. Additionally, camps are staffed with onsite medical personnel, therapists, nurses and social workers. Each camper also has a crisis plan to ensure emergency needs are met immediately.

Through its dedicated volunteers and specialized programs, Camp Quality continues to prove that even in the face of a difficult diagnosis, the quality of a child's life can remain high.

Applications are open for both volunteers and campers until May 17. To learn more, visit campqualityusa.org.