Hobé: Kids oncology camp

My youngest 2 boys at camp

My kids are at camp. I had 3 boys gone last week and 2 gone this week. They are at Camp Hobé, a camp for children with cancer and their siblings. It is kind of sad that this will probably be the last year that they will be able to go: Jimmy is done with his cancer treatments. I'm not sad he is done with the cancer, just sad that my kids will not be able to go to Camp Hobé It has been the highlight of their year. Camp Hobé is kind of a magical camp. Where else is a mom going to be comfortable leaving her blind 7 year old brain tumor patient for a week? My boys are not new to going to camp, they have been going to scout camps with their friends for years, but they really love Camp Hobé. The first year that they went I was worried, they did not know anyone there, but they came home having made lots of friends with kids because they have one huge thing in common: Cancer.

I am so grateful that this camp includes the siblings of the children with cancer. Cancer has a profound effect on the patient but, the effect on the siblings is often just as bad and so often overlooked. When you are of sibling of cancer you are ignored while your parents kind of fall apart, you usually have more responsibility instantly, you have to become the one in charge because you parents are always gone, you have to watch your sibling suffer and not understand why, you watch your sibling be showered with gifts and attention while you are ignored, and you can't say anything because you are healthy and your brother is sick. At Camp Hobé my boys are surrounded by kids who understand. These kids have been through it also, and they learn that they are not the only ones.

This camp is so great that my oldest boy passed up a chance to get paid to be a Jr. counselor at scout camp and volunteered to be an unpaid Jr. counselor at Camp Hobé.

I just want to thank Camp Hobé for what they have done for my kids.