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= Camp Oochigeas = Camp Oochigeas (Ooch) is a privately-owned charity and camp for children affected by childhood cancer located in Ontario, Canada. A variety of different programs including, overnight camping experiences, leadership opportunities, in-city programs, as well as in-hospital programs are offered each year for children 18 and under who have either been diagnosed with the terminal illness themselves or have had a sibling lose their battle with cancer. The organization is funded exclusively through donations and was created in 1983 as a way to provide a non-judgemental environment and novel childhood experiences for those who never got the chance to feel like a normal kid due to their illness. On site nurses allow for those on active chemotherapy treatment, which can be up to 40% of campers, to attend and participate in camp events, at no cost to the campers.

The Beginning
In 1983, Camp Ooch had its first summer session which was hosted in Geneva Park. It was founded by Doug Biggar, Peter Miller, Judy Tripp, Mary Pat Armstrong, and Jeanne Gallagher, who volunteered to look after the first 38 campers to ever experience Ooch. By 1987 the growing attendance pushed for an expansion of camp facilities so the camp relocated to Rosseau Lake College in Algonquin which allowed for increased lodging space and activity selection.

Expansion
By 1993 Camp Ooch decided to bring their programming to more places besides the overnight camp. Volunteers frequented SickKids hospital once a month as a way to provide a distraction to those currently fighting cancer. Not far from the hospital, a community recreation centre for children affected by childhood cancer called Ooch Downtown debuted in 2011, making it the only facility of the sort in North America.

Current Placement
A permanent home was found for Ooch in 2004 when they took over Camp Hollyburn which was situated beside the private lake, Donner Lake. A session for those who have lost a sibling to cancer was introduced the same year and named Camp Teomul, even though it took place at the same facility now named Ooch Muskoka. Ten years later, the camp began expanding and improving upon the camp site as a way to incorporate more campers as well as those with disabilities. All changes were made possible by the increase in donations.

As of January 2020, Camp Ooch merged with Camp trillium, which is a neighbouring oncology camp, as a way to expand their presence and are now associated as one charity. Due to the 2020 covid-19 pandemic, all Ooch programs and activities are currently being conducted online as a way to reduce the anxiety of the immunocompromised children caused by isolation and their susceptibility to the virus. Programs such as Zoom are being used for virtual camp.

Mission and Motto
“You have failed only when you have failed to try,” was the motto created by the 1984 camp director Hugh Rennie, and it continues to be their slogan to this day. Ooch leaders and volunteers aim to push campers out of their comfort zones so that they can create friendships with others without judgement and experience activities they may not have thought they could due to their condition.

Camp Ooch is the only oncology camp that can provide IV chemotherapy and blood transfusions on site. Their mission is to accommodate the 79% of children affected by childhood cancer that still don’t have access to oncology camp programming. In the last 36 years, Ooch has grown from 38 campers to 1,600 a year as they continue to move towards their goal.

Ooch Muskoka
Those between the ages of 5 and 14 have the opportunity to spend two weeks at the overnight camp whether they are currently on treatment or in remission. There are three different sessions to choose from and a one-week teen session called 7scape at the end of the summer for those aged 15-18. Camp Teomul accommodates siblings of those affected for one week of camp during the beginning of summer.

Ooch Muskoka has multiple sleeping lodges, a large dining hall that can cater to any dietary restrictions, a large recreation barn, a fully functional medical centre, a high-ropes and rock-climbing course, and many other sites accommodating activities such as canoeing, pottery, watersports and archery.

During fall and winter, there are overnight weekend sessions called WAC where campers can experience different activities more suited for the colder months There are different weekend sessions for children, teens, and Teomul campers. Virtual equivalents of each overnight program are offered in place of in-person programs as of 2020.

Leadership
Those aged 14-18 have the opportunity to participate in leadership programs at locations such as Ooch Downtown or in Muskoka. Campers can learn leadership skills during camping trips through Algonquin or by volunteering as a Leader in Training (LIT) for younger campers. There is also the option to gain a grade 11 health credit with the High School Credit Program. Leadership programs also take place in the community each year with different daily events that campers can attend. Ooch downtown also hosts a variety of leadership programs and allows for teens to build teamwork skills and learn new things such as cooking or sewing each time they attend. Ooch also helps campers build their resume’s by helping them work towards certification for a variety of things such ORCKA levels and Duke of Edinburgh.

In-Hospital
Camp Ooch’s presence at SickKids Hospital increased from once a month to seven days a week and the volunteers entertain those getting treatment as well as their siblings with arts and crafts, music lessons/jams, science-experiments and more. Since cancer patients are immunocompromised, current programs are being run virtually for their safety. Other paediatric care centres around Ontario such as McMaster Children’s Hospital, Credit Valley Hospital, Southlake Regional Centre, London Health Sciences Centre, and Rouge Valley Centenary have also hosted Ooch and Trillium programs for patients.

Day Camp
Day camps are available in Toronto, Ottawa, and London and make use of facilities such as Ooch Downtown and Camp Robin Hood, which lends out its facilities to Ooch. Day camp is for younger campers who don’t feel comfortable staying overnight. Like each of the other programs, day camp is currently only being offered virtually.

Community Programs
Community programs include options for young campers, teens, and each of their families and take place at locations across Ontario. Events include things like attending professional sporting events, radio shows, game nights, and more. Campers who have turned 19 also get the opportunity to graduate from Ooch, and are presented with a graduation token at the annual reunion. A list of upcoming virtual community events is posted on the Ooch website.

Fundraising
Camp Ooch is exclusively funded by donations made to the charity through a variety of different events. Many fundraisers are held each year and take the form of events such as golf tournaments, gala’s, races, and more recently, virtual event s. The most well-known fundraiser for Ooch is the Sporting Life 10K which takes place every year in downtown Toronto and is attended by mass amounts of people. Although the 2020 fundraiser did not take place in person, it raised 1.1 million dollars through the virtual 10K race that was held.

Some other big events this year include Camp out for Cancer and the Paddle Project which can be viewed on the Camp Ooch website along with other upcoming events. The website also allows people to create an “In Honour” fundraising page to honour the life or important milestones of someone that has been diagnosed with cancer. As it costs about $2000 to send one camper to camp, the money from fundraisers and camp sponsors is needed in order to keep the camp running. There are many large corporations partnered with Ooch such as Volkswagen, Air Canada, and LCBO. Hundreds of other corporations support the camp and are listed in full on their site. People can also help out by volunteering as a counsellor for any of the programs, as counsellors are not paid for their time.

Locations

 * Ooch Downtown: 464 Bathurst Street, Toronto, ON


 * Ooch Muskoka: 4256 Highway 141, Rosseau, ON

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