Camp Kesem

Kesem is a national 501(c)(3) organization that supports children aged 6–18 who are affected by a parent's cancer.^[1] It provides year-round programs and services to support these children at no cost to families, and has a presence at more than 130 colleges and university chapters in 44 states and the District of Columbia. Kesem is funded by donations from individuals, foundations, and corporations.^[2]

Kesem's flagship program, Camp Kesem, is a free week-long sleepaway summer camp for kids whose parents have or have had cancer.^[3] The camp is designed for kids to have fun and build connections with each other and counselors. Campers are grouped with peers their age. The campers transition through rotations that include traditional camp activities like arts and crafts, sports, or nature-themed activities. Campers also gather in their cabin for “Cabin Chat" at the end of the day, where they can share about anything on their mind. On one specific day, the campers share their stories about their parent's cancer.

Throughout the year, Kesem also provides year-round services including care packages, personalized greetings, birthday cards, local gatherings, leadership groups, and affinity groups for campers and their families.

The first Camp Kesem chapter was founded at Stanford University in 2000 as a project of Hillel at Stanford, a nonprofit serving Jewish students at the university. The project was developed by founder Iris Rave Wedeking, and a group of student leaders who sought to create a summer camp experience for children in need for little to no cost for the families.

After assessing the needs of the community, the students found that children who have, or have had, a parent with cancer comprised an under-served population who could benefit from a summer camp experience with peers who faced similar challenges.

Camp Kesem at Stanford hosted its first summer session in June 2001, free of charge to 37 campers.

In August 2002, Iris Rave founded Camp Kesem National to share the project's model with college campuses across the nation.

For the fiscal year 2024, Kesem served over 7,700 children affected by a parent's cancer. Nearly 4,800 student leaders volunteered for Kesem."Donor Impact Report"(PDF). 2024-03-17. Retrieved 2025-08-30.

• 98% felt that their child made new friends at camp.
• 99% felt that their child felt included at Camp Kesem.
• El 98% se sintió más seguro de la capacidad de sus hijos para afrontar sus experiencias con el cáncer gracias a Kesem.
• El 99% recomendaría Kesem a otras familias afectadas por el cáncer.
• El 99% sintió que Kesem le brindó a su hijo una comunidad de apoyo.

Charity Navigator le otorgó a Kesem una puntuación de 100,00, lo que le valió una calificación de 4 estrellas, con la categoría de Finanzas recibiendo 100,00, la categoría de Cultura y Comunidad recibiendo 100,00 y la categoría de Responsabilidad y Transparencia recibiendo una puntuación de 100,00. ^{[ 4 ]}

Kesem recibió el Sello de Plata de Transparencia de Guidestar en 2024. ^{[ 5 ]}

• Sitio web oficial de la organización
• El "Campamento Mágico" para niños cuyos padres tienen cáncer.
• Puede que Camp Kesem sea un "campamento contra el cáncer", pero la mayoría de los niños quieren volver por más.
• Camp Kesem en el programa Today Show