Oncology Camp

Our Oncology Camp is a great option for patients or survivors of childhood cancer who are ages 7-17, potty-trained, and have permission from their doctor to attend school or camp.

Many of our campers have food aversions, g-tubes, special medical needs, or disabilities. This is very common at Camp Casco! We’ll work with you prior to your camp session to make sure we understand your child’s unique situation and how we can best support them at camp.

A well-fed camper is a happy camper. Food provides nutrition and energy, but it’s also an important source of comfort. It can be hard to be away from foods you’re used to eating and surrounded by new things.

Fortunately, camp food is delicious, nutritious, and best of all, kid-friendly. Many of our campers have food aversions from their time on treatment and are self-described “picky eaters”. This is a very common need that we’re happy to accommodate.

Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are served every day in the Dining Hall. Food is served buffet-style, making it easy to adapt to a camper's particular tastes. Campers may take as much or as little of each food item as they like. This allows our campers to see and smell each food before deciding if they'd like to try it, and makes it easy to go back for more. It also makes it easy to assemble food to each camper's liking (sauce on the side? No problem!).

We also keep lots of nutritious snacks on hand in case campers get hungry between meals. Specific dietary preferences (like vegetarian, vegan, or kosher diets) and food allergies can also be accommodated. Please be sure to note any dietary preferences and food allergies on your camper application so that we may notify the camp kitchen promptly.

We follow the guidance of the CDC, our local Boards of Health, and of course, our medical experts, when making decisions about health and safety. Please visit our COVID-19 page for the most up-to-date guidance on our policies and procedures.

Grotonwood is a camp and conference center located in the beautiful countryside town of Groton, MA. Nestled in 247 acres of private woodland, camp is a treasure trove of outdoor fun and recreation. They have been welcoming youth and adults with physical, developmental and intellectual disabilities for over sixty years!

Throughout our camp session, we’ll make use of the Dining Center, indoor arts and crafts space, spacious gymnasium, grassy areas, scenic waterfront, and comfortable lodges. A “Med Shed” room, equipped with medical supplies and staffed with medical professionals around the clock, ensures that children can receive excellent care anytime, day or night.

This beautiful campsite is modernized, well-maintained, equipped with indoor bathrooms and electricity, and ensures the comfort and safety of our campers throughout the week.

During inclement weather, such as very warm or rainy days, we’ll move inside. On warmer days, we may provide cooling items such as a personal fan, and increase the number of water activities, to help keep kids comfortable. Be aware that in the case of lightning, swimming and boating will not permitted until deemed safe by our lifeguards.

In general, you can expect to receive a few updates daily via our Campanion app. Program Director Krystin “Lo” Whitacre will hold daily office hours to answer any non-urgent communications.

If your child needs additional support for any reason during the camp session, we will reach out to you right away.

Every camper will stay in either an updated cabin or a room in Grotonwood’s beautiful lodge.

Campers are assigned to sleeping quarters in small groups by gender preference and age. All sleeping quarters are supervised by trained & background-checked cabin counselors. We use a Truddy System to ensure no two individuals are ever left alone, unless medically necessary.

Our cabins feature electricity, indoor wheelchair-accessible bathrooms, hot water, and single or bunk beds. Campers may bring bedding from home or use a sleeping bag on their bed - whichever they prefer. If your child requires special accommodations overnight, please contact us to discuss.

Please visit this page for everything you need to know to submit your child’s camper application!