Summer is here and for us that means Camp Ronald McDonald for Good Times is in full session! We are so proud to support this amazing organization and have shared numerous times how important the experience is to children and their families. While this is the primary reason we support Camp, we also are grateful to support the doctors and nurses who work so diligently to save the lives of  these children who are fighting cancer.
In their own words, here is why Camp is so important to nurses and doctors.

“Parents have told me that seeing the jumble of dirty socks and clothes in their child’s duffel bag at the end of a Camp session was a great sign of how much fun they had! And then they see that campers return with a renewed spirit…proud of their accomplishments.”
Kathleen S. Ruccione, M.P.H., R.N., F.A.A.N., CPON®
Center Nursing Administrator, Co-Director HOPE Program, Director LIFE Program, Center for Cancer and Blood Diseases, Childrens Hospital Los Angeles
“I feel that Camp is as important as any medical treatment. Many times I have seen patients who are socially devastated by their illness who completely ‘emerge from their shell’ when they return from Camp. Camp is also critically important to siblings because it gives them a safe place to be special for ‘who they are’ and not just a ‘brother or sister of a cancer patient.’”
Clarke Anderson, M.D.
Department of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, City of Hope National Medical Center and Beckman Research Institute

“This time that the family has together lets them share a little part of ‘normal’ family life in an environment not focused on their illness, but on fun.”
Helen M. Case, M.A., R.N.
Executive Director of Hospital Services, Children’s Hospital of Orange County
“Starting at diagnosis, you spend time teaching your patients all the things they cannot do. At Camp, you spend time teaching them what they can do. They come back from Camp a changed child.”
Fran Wiley, R.N.
“Camp recharges my emotional batteries. For a physician taking care of these children every day, often under difficult circumstances, coming to Camp to see them so happy and active reminds me of what our role in the ‘big picture’ is for these kids and what life is really all about.”
Stuart E. Siegel, M.D.
Director, Children’s Center for Cancer and Blood Diseases, Childrens Hospital Los Angeles
“I encourage nurses to volunteer at Camp. Life as a pediatric oncology nurse is challenging in every way. Nurses return from Camp re-energized by the environment and the camaraderie. They re-discover entirely different aspects of themselves and their nursing skills. And they restore their serum fun levels.”
Kathleen S. Ruccione, M.P.H., R.N., F.A.A.N., CPON
Center Nursing Administrator, Co-Director HOPE Program, Director LIFE Program
Center for Cancer and Blood Diseases, Childrens Hospital Los Angeles
“Camp is great for nurses because it gives us a chance to see children in their normal state–laughing, doing well, happy. At the hospital, we’re on the front line, we see sick kids—it sits heavy on our hearts. It can get depressing and hurts when a child dies. It’s easy to get burned out.  When you see the children at Camp, it makes you feel that what you are doing in this field is not worthless. There is some happiness, some success. Each camper shines uniquely. Their talents and their personalities really shine. Volunteering gives you another sense of purpose. It’s an amazing experience.”
Mercedes St. Hilaire, R.N.
Children’s Hospital Orange County

With sincere admiration and humblest of thanks for the heart-breaking, exhausting and rewarding work you all do – thank you.
~Michael and Frida Donner