Camp Kesem is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to helping children whose parents currently have or have passed away from cancer. On Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024, the Oregon chapter of Camp Kesem hosted a tabling event outside of the Erb Memorial Union (EMU) for GivingTuesday, the nationally recognized day of donation to nonprofit organizations. During this event, counselors from the Oregon chapter of Kesem sat outside of the EMU offering Voodoo Doughnuts, Insomnia Cookies, raffle tickets and homemade beanies in exchange for donations to the organization.

This event is important for the Oregon chapter of Kesem as the amount of donated dollars is directly correlated to how many campers are given the opportunity to attend camp. The camp is completely free for those who attend due mostly to the donations made throughout the year, and GivingTuesday is the day during which the donation rates are at an all time high. Each counselor is encouraged to raise at least 500 dollars to cover the attendance of one child for one week of camp.

“My mom was diagnosed with cancer and my little sister went to a Kesem Camp in Stanford,” Jared “Grizzly Bear” Gee, counselor for Camp Kesem Oregon, said. “After she came back, she was a whole new person; she was so much happier and full of life, and while she told me about her experience it really inspired me to join my Kesem at UO so I could help other kids find the same joy she had.”

While the event was based around collecting donations to send these children to camp, the counselors also used it as an opportunity to reconnect with their friends within the program. Many of the counselors have been participating in Kesem for years as campers and counselors, and their love for the program was expressed in abundance during the event.

“Kesem to me is home,” Ethan “Treelo” Smilow, counselor and treasurer for Camp Kesem Oregon, said. “I fortunately and unfortunately experienced Kesem as a camper so it gave me a place to really process my mom’s cancer and find a family. Now being a counselor and being able to give that back and create a home for all of these kids is a special feeling. To have a home and a family that understands what I’ve been through and to help me guide kids and help them understand is just such a special experience.”

A staple for Camp Kesem is the usage of “camp names.” These names can be anything the counselor or camper chooses, as long as it is appropriate for camp. Camp names are used to create a sense of anonymity for campers and counselors, as there is a strict no contact rule between counselors and their campers outside of camp. Despite this rule, the ability to create a name for yourself as a camper or counselor allows for free expression without judgement in a safe space.

“I had a coach when I was younger who called me ‘mego my ego’ one day and it just kinda stuck,” Megan “Waffles” Ortega, counselor for Camp Kesem Oregon, said. “For a long time I made it all my social media tags and when I was recruited for Kesem, it was easy to transfer waffles over from there.”

Some of the names counselors have are longtime nicknames, and others have deeper meanings that help carry out the legacy of a loved one that has been lost to cancer.

“My parents used to sing me the ‘you are my sunshine’ song as a kid, my mom specifically,” Emma “Sunshine” Goldberg, development coordinator for Camp Kesem Oregon, said. “When she passed I got a tattoo of a sun behind my ear that represents her and her heartbeat, and when I was recruited and asked what my Kesem name would be, I knew it was going to be sunshine.”

The community at Camp Kesem is very tight-knit, but despite this, it doesn’t take very much to get involved. Many counselors that were tabling mentioned how powerful their connection to the program is despite recently joining the community.

“I was very nervous coming into Kesem because I didn’t know anybody besides Sunshine, but in just one week I feel like I created so many new friendships that will last a lifetime,” Ortega said. “In just five days your whole life can change and it’s really, really amazing how much of an impact we have on these kids.”

Kesem Oregon is dedicated to helping families who are struggling with their battle against cancer, and their goal is to help as many of these families as possible. Even though GivingTuesday has passed, Kesem Oregon is always looking for volunteers and donations. More information about becoming a member or donating to Kesem Oregon can be found on their website, https://www.kesem.org/chapters/oregon or their instagram page @kesemoregon.