nature walks, rock wall climbing, ropes course, arts & crafts, and many other recreational activities and programs associated with a traditional summer camp. We also provide an environment that offers support and self-esteem building and socialization that these children do not otherwise have access to. Impact of camp studies prove that camp helps to strengthen the confidence and self-esteem of children and your support will give these very special children life-altering experiences that cannot be put into words. As a testament to the impact the camp has on these young souls, most return year after year to relive experiences they can get nowhere else. Still, there are hundreds of children we are not able to serve each year due to the tremendous resources required to make it happen.
Camp del Corazon enriches the lives of children living with heart disease. We are more than just a summer camp though. Not only do we provide a summer camp experience for children, but we also provide opportunities for growth, education and support.
History
Camp del Corazon (Camp of the Heart) was inspired by a patient of Dr. Kevin Shannon. Even though the young man had undergone an operation that dramatically improved the function of his heart, he was still suffering from emotional pain. He was back in school, back in little league baseball, even trying in-line skating for the first time, but he was so embarrassed by his scars that he wouldn't remove his shirt to be examined by the doctor.
Dr. Shannon felt that if his patient could spend time with other kids who'd had heart surgery, he'd be less self-conscious. He located a camp in Louisiana for kids with heart disease, but the young man's mother just couldn't bear to send him so far away. When Dr. Shannon discussed the situation with Lisa Knight, R.N., her solution was simple: "We can do that." And so they did.
They set about fund-raising to ensure that the medically-supervised summer camp would be free for children ages 7-17 who had heart disease. When Camp del Corazon began in 1995, 49 campers spent three days on beautiful Catalina Island off the coast of Southern California. Over the years, the camp has grown to three five-day sessions with more than 350 campers. Camp del Corazon is staffed completely by volunteer counselors, nurses, and physicians who give of their hearts to help these special kids.
Camp del Corazon has grown into a non-profit organization dedicated to providing experiential programs for children and families living with heart disease. Programs include a free-of-charge, residential summer camp, leadership retreats, educational symposiums and family weekend programs custom designed to enrich the lives of their unique population.
Mission
Camp del Corazon Inc. is a 501(c)(3) Non-profit corporation, providing a free of charge summer camp for children with heart disease. All proceeds are spent on the camp, and its programming, and staffed entirely by volunteers.
About Us
Camp del Corazon is an organization that provides a medically supervised, residential summer camp for children ages 7-17 who are living with heart disease, as well as additional programs for these children and their families.Located on Catalina Island, 22 miles off the California coastline, our camp has served approximately 300 children each year since 1995. Having begun with a volunteer staff of two, 49 campers and a minimal budget, our growth and success stands as a testament to our steady commitment to the population we serve.
We offer our camping program free-of-charge, as the families affected by this disease already incur incredible financial burdens from medical bills and often have to seek private or home schooling due to the numerous doctors' appointments and hospital stays these children require. Children with congenital heart disease are the most underserved pediatric population in the nation, and funding and resources for these children are very scarce. The overwhelming amount of funds raised by prominent charities goes toward adults with coronary artery disease, heart attack and stroke. There is much attention paid to adults with heart disease, but virtually nothing for children born with damaged hearts.
The children served by Camp del Corazon are not eligible for the summer camping experience offered by other member agencies of the American Camping Association due to the fact that they require round-the-clock medical supervision and care. Many of these children have had several open-heart surgeries, pacemakers, and/or heart transplants, and many face several more surgeries in their futures. These children and their families live every day knowing that they are at a high-risk for mortality. Our camp offers an opportunity to finally be ‘normal,' to forget their ailments and to connect with others who have had similar experiences and scars. For most of these children, this is the only experience they have away from home, as they are often too sick to go on vacations or to even stay overnight at a friend's house, away from their parents, who have to monitor their health on a 24-hour basis. Parents of children with heart conditions are often fearful that activities enjoyed by ‘normal' kids could be harmful. There are very few camps with the ability or medically trained staff to provide for these special needs children, or places that their parents would trust.
Sending over 100 children to each camp session along with over 80 volunteer staff is an enormous under-taking. The approximate cost per child for the 5-day camp is $1,200, which does not take into account the volunteer staff and counselors' time and experience. With the exception of office staff, Camp del Corazon is run entirely on a volunteer basis. We offer a full camping experience including sleeping in a cabin,