My team
My Story
This year marks my 18th year volunteering with Campfire Circle (formerly Camp Ooch), and I can honestly say it is one of the most special places I’ve ever known.
For nearly two decades, I’ve spent part of every summer at camp, and no matter how many times I go back, it never loses its magic. Campfire Circle is a place where kids facing cancer can leave hospitals, treatments, and appointments behind and simply be kids—laughing, swimming, singing, making friends, and feeling normal again.
Throughout most of the year, these kids are surrounded by adults, doctors, and medical equipment. Many miss school, social time, and the everyday experiences other kids take for granted. At camp, that all fades away. Surrounded by peers who truly understand what they’re going through, they find joy, confidence, and a sense of belonging that’s hard to put into words.
What makes Campfire Circle truly unique is that it’s the only camp in Canada with full intravenous oncology on-site. Thanks to an incredible team of volunteer doctors and nurses, even the sickest kids can safely experience the magic of Muskoka—free of charge for families.
This cause is especially close to my heart because my niece, Emily, is an Ooch camper. Camp gave her a place where she wasn’t defined by her illness, where she felt safe, supported, and free to just be herself. Watching her laugh, make friends, and grow in confidence at camp is something I’ll never forget. Kids like Emily are the reason I keep coming back year after year.
I’m running the Sporting Life 10K again this year to help ensure Campfire Circle can continue giving these experiences to more kids and families. Every donation helps send a child to a place where they can forget about cancer for a week and simply enjoy being a kid.
Thank you for supporting something that has meant so much to me for the past 18 years.
Description
Bring Joy, Friendship, and Connection to Kids Who Need It Most Every day, thousands of kids across Ontario face cancer or serious illness – and miss out on the moments that make up childhood. Laughter, friendship, and adventure are replaced with hospital visits and isolation. For 42 years, Campfire Circle has brought healing through happiness to kids with cancer or serious illness and their families. Through our in-hospital, community, and overnight camp programs, we create opportunities for children to build friendships and social skills, develop self-confidence and resiliency, and improve their overall well-being. By providing play-based experiences, we empower kids to take back their childhood, regardless of their medical diagnosis. Today, more than 40,000 children in Ontario are living with serious illnesses. With your help, we can reach even more of them. Our goal is to serve 10,000 kids by 2030, and when you donate to the Sporting Life 10K, you join a circle committed to that vision. Your generosity ensures every medically fragile child can experience Campfire Circle’s life-changing programs when they need it most, at no cost to their families. Together, we can grow our circle of care and help deliver healing through happiness to more kids and families across Ontario. |
Achievements
Recent donors
| Donation date | Donor name | Donation amount |
|---|---|---|
| Dec 29 | Panda | $500.00 |
