The Rainbow Connection is a summer camp for children and adolescents (ages 6 to 15) who have been treated for cancer or blood disorders at The University of Texas Medical Branch Children's Hospital at Galveston, Texas. The camp is also open to the brothers and sisters of these children. Campers are from the state of Texas. You can watch the Rainbow Connection video to see and hear campers and counselors describing their experience at camp.
The Rainbow Connection Philosophy: Children with cancer or blood disorders are normal children with special medical needs. Since they are normal, they are entitled to enjoy the same experiences as their well peers (i.e. summer camp). The siblings of children with cancer or blood disorders are also affected by the illness of their brother or sister.
Goal of The Rainbow Connection: To provide children with cancer or blood disorders and their brothers and sisters a place to re-discover the self-esteem and confidence that is so often lost during the course of treatment for illness.
Camp dates for 2008: Sunday June 29th - Friday July 4th, 2008
Camp Location: Camp for All in Burton, Texas. Camp for All is a facility built especially for individuals with special needs.
Camp Activities: Fishing, swimming, canoeing, archery, riflery, horseback riding, arts and crafts, challenge course, sports, all-camp dance, talent show, campfires, music, cook-outs, nightly activities, awards and many other activities.
Staff: Volunteer staff made up of employees and students from The University of Texas Medical Branch and the surrounding community. Staff members must be at least 21 years of age and all applicants are carefully interviewed by the director prior to selection. This volunteer staff is augmented by the activity counselors from Camp for All. The camper-to-counselor ratio is approximately 6:1.
Medical supervision: A physician and a nurse are available at camp 24 hours a day. Arrangements are made with a local pediatrician's office for any needed blood work or for emergencies. Since the emphasis at camp is on wellness, the camp clinic takes a low profile. Whenever possible, chemotherapy is postponed until after camp, or is given at a time when it will not interfere with the camper's favorite activities.
Camp cost: The camper fee is $50.00 ($10.00 of this amount is a required registration fee, the remaining $40.00 is negotiable depending on the financial need of the camper). Camper scholarships are available. No one should be denied the camp experience due to financial constraints. ACTUAL COST OF CAMP IS ABOUT $500.00 PER CAMPER!
Source of Funding: The majority of funding comes from donations by individuals, civic groups, and businesses in the Galveston county community.
Camp Sponsors: The Rainbow Connection is a non-profit organization dedicated to the support of families of children with cancer or blood disorders. The camp is endorsed (but not funded) by the Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology at UTMB Children's Hospital.
Origins/History: In the spring of 1984, a group of health professionals who worked with children with cancer at UTMB got together to explore the possibility of organizing a summer camp experience as a way to provide additional psycho social support for those children. A proposal was written and physicians from the Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology endorsed the idea. The task force gathered information from other camps to learn more about planning and implementing a successful summer camp program. In January 1985, after a newspaper article was published about the dream of The Rainbow Connection, the camp received its very first donation and the dream began to gain substance. Finally on June 30, 1984, the dream became a reality as The Rainbow Connection opened its doors and took 19 young children with cancer to summer camp for the very first time. Since that summer, The Rainbow Connection has continued to provide exciting summer camp experiences to children with cancer. In 1987, the program expanded to include Teen Excursions. In 1991, the camp was opened to siblings. In 1995, the first week long family camp was held in Estes Park, Colorado. Future plans include a winter ski trip.
