For children facing cancer, opportunities to simply be a kid can be life changing. Pediatric oncology camps give patients, survivors and siblings the chance to step away from the hospital and connect with others who understand their experiences.
Four Diamonds helps make these moments possible by supporting cancer camps and helping children and teens travel to them. Whether close to home in Pennsylvania or across the country in Montana, these camps provide something many children impacted by cancer deeply need—community, confidence and joy.
A Week to Just Be a Kid
One of the camps Four Diamonds supports is Camp Can Do in Lebanon, Pennsylvania. Each summer, children affected by childhood cancer spend a week at Gretna Glen enjoying classic camp activities like arts and crafts, outdoor adventures and time with friends.
Camp Can Do also hosts a session specifically for siblings, giving them the opportunity to connect with others who understand what it’s like to have a brother or sister with cancer.
While the camp experience looks like a typical summer camp, it also includes medical support and staff who understand the unique needs of pediatric oncology patients.
For many Four Diamonds families, it becomes a tradition they return to year after year.
Growing Up at Camp
Nick, a Four Diamonds young adult, has attended Camp Can Do almost every summer since he was nine years old. In 2022, he returned to camp in a new role as the Leadership Training Director.
While Nick was undergoing cancer treatment as a child, camp offered something incredibly meaningful: the chance to feel normal.
Instead of focusing on doctor appointments or treatments, Nick could spend time outdoors, make friends and enjoy the experiences every kid deserves.
Now, he helps create that same experience for the next generation of campers.
The connections he made at camp were so meaningful that giving back felt like a natural next step.
“The Best Place”
For Four Diamonds child Devin, Camp Can Do is simply the “best place.”
During a recent camp afternoon, Devin spent time painting outdoors, racing down a giant slip-and-slide and laughing with other campers.
Moments like these may seem simple, but for children who have spent months or years navigating cancer treatment, they can mean everything.
A Camp Experience Across the Country
Some Four Diamonds children travel even farther for their camp experience.
Camp Mak-A-Dream in Montana offers free programs for children and teens affected by cancer. Because the camp itself is free, Four Diamonds helps families by covering transportation costs so campers can make the trip.
The camp’s mission is to empower survivors and their families to live with and beyond cancer. For many campers, the experience becomes a powerful step in their healing journey.
Paige’s Story
During a routine clinic visit, Four Diamonds teen Paige was asked if she would be interested in attending Camp Mak-A-Dream.
The idea of traveling to Montana for camp sounded exciting, especially since Paige had already enjoyed participating in Hoofbeat Haven, a therapeutic horsemanship program supported by Four Diamonds.
So she said yes.
In July 2025, Paige traveled to Montana for camp. At first, she was nervous because she didn’t know anyone there. But it didn’t take long for her to form friendships with the other campers.
From horseback riding and ziplining to swimming and crafts, the week was filled with activities.
But what meant the most was the chance to talk with other teens who truly understood what she had been through.
“I could talk about things with people who had the same level of understanding,” Paige said. “I didn’t have to explain myself.”
Even after returning home, Paige still stays in touch with the girls from her cabin through group chats and occasional meetups.
Finding Community
Four Diamonds teen Hailey had a similar experience. Last summer marked her second time attending Camp Mak-A-Dream.
After finishing cancer treatment several years ago, Hailey often feels like people don’t realize she’s a survivor. That sometimes leads to feelings of imposter syndrome.
At camp, however, she found a community where everyone understood.
“Connecting with other teens going through cancer or who are survivors shows you that people experience so many different things,” Hailey said. “The stories aren’t always the same, but it’s reassuring to know someone went through something similar and has similar feelings.”
This summer, Hailey plans to return to Camp Mak-A-Dream as camp staff. Her advice to kids thinking about attending a cancer camp is simple: “Just go. Treatment can feel very isolating, but at camp I realized I’m not alone.”
For children and teens impacted by cancer, camp offers more than just a week of activities. It provides connection, confidence and a sense of belonging. Whether they are painting outdoors at Camp Can Do or riding horses beneath the Montana sky at Camp Mak-A-Dream, these experiences remind campers that they are not alone. By helping families access these camps, Four Diamonds ensures that children facing cancer have opportunities to laugh, build friendships and create lasting memories—moments that help them heal, grow and simply enjoy being kids.