Nora Became an Advocate at Camp Casco: Your Child Could Too
Meet longtime camper Nora, and hear a little about her personal growth and leadership experiences at Camp Casco.
Nora showing her camp pins!
At Camp Casco, campers quickly discover something powerful: they are surrounded by people who understand what they’ve been through. Between that shared connection, they begin building confidence not only in who they are, but in how they speak up for themselves.
For many campers, one of the most meaningful forms of growth at camp is learning self-advocacy.
Camp Casco was created to provide joyful, inclusive camp experiences for children impacted by childhood cancer. Programs are free of cost, medically supported, and intentionally designed to help children feel safe, supported, and empowered. That environment gives campers the opportunity to practice independence in ways that can feel difficult in everyday life.
Nora described the experience this way:
“We all share something in common. That is, we have all survived or are going through something that’s really tough… the counselors are trained and specifically know what to do… it feels safe. I’m with my people.”
That feeling of safety matters! When kids feel understood, they are more willing to use their voice.
Learning to Speak Up
Many campers arrive feeling nervous about being away from home or entering a new environment. Missing home on the first night is common, but camp quickly becomes a place where children realize they don’t have to hide parts of themselves or explain every detail of their medical experience.
“Being in a new environment can be scary,” Nora recounted, “But the shared connection helps.”
That shared understanding creates room for growth. Campers are encouraged to recognize their own needs and communicate them confidently, whether that means asking for a break, talking about medical concerns, or simply expressing how they feel.
“I’ve gained more advocacy skills,” Nora explained. “If I need a break, or have medical needs, I realized no one can read my mind. It’s important to speak up about your needs.”
For children who have spent years navigating hospitals, treatments, and uncertainty, that realization can be incredibly important. Camp becomes a place where they practice trusting their instincts and understanding that their needs deserve to be heard.
Those lessons often carry far beyond camp itself.
Confidence Through Connection
The confidence campers build at Camp Casco doesn’t happen in isolation. It grows through friendships, traditions, and the feeling of belonging to a community that truly understands.
“I’ve just learned so many skills by just being at camp,” Nora shared. “Leadership, being around the campfire and doing the campfire songs.”
Camp traditions, like gathering around the fire and adding ashes from previous years, create continuity and connection between campers past and present. Through those moments, campers begin to see themselves as important members of a larger community.
That sense of belonging helps campers like Nora become more comfortable being themselves.
Nora shared that Camp Casco raised both her confidence and leadership skills, while also helping learn when to step up and when to step back. Leadership at camp does not always look loud or outgoing. Sometimes it looks like including someone new in a conversation, helping younger campers feel comfortable, or recognizing when another person needs support.
“It can hurt to feel left out,” Nora reflected, “so I try to incorporate other people into conversations.”
That awareness, understanding both your own needs and the needs of others, is a powerful form of growth many campers develop while at Camp Casco.
A Community That Understands
When asked about her favorite camp memories, Nora immediately focused on relationships.
“There’s so many [memories]. I like getting to know everyone there. I like hanging out with the littles and doing everything I can to help support the littles.”
Nora also spoke about how meaningful it is to hear the stories of other campers:
“Even people who come to camp who are still going through cancer, everyone here is so strong because of that.”
At Camp Casco, children are surrounded by peers who understand resilience firsthand. They see courage reflected back at them in other campers, and that often changes the way they see themselves.
For prospective families, that emotional safety can make all the difference. Campers are not expected to leave their experiences at the door. Instead, they are welcomed fully, medical history, emotions, fears, strengths, and all. For many campers, that sense of connection becomes the foundation for greater confidence, stronger self-worth, and the courage to navigate life beyond camp with a little more certainty in themselves.
While at camp children often discover they are capable of far more than they realized.
