Seriously Ill Children in the Philadelphia Area Will Enjoy Overnight Summer Camp at Dragonfly Forest

In August 2006, Dragonfly Forest Will Operate

In Philadelphia Area for the First Time

August 2, 2006 – Philadelphia, PA – Just imagine -- boys and girls, who spend most of their time in medical facilities rather than at playgrounds, discovering the simple joys of childhood often missed during extended medical treatment. Dragonfly Forest is pleased to announce that it will be hosting its first Philadelphia-based summer session of overnight camp for 150 seriously ill children in the Delaware Valley from August 17 – 23 2006 in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. Dragonfly Forest, a not-for-profit organization, gives children with chronic and life-threatening diseases the amazing opportunity to just have fun being a kid while attending overnight camp for free.  

Children with sickle cell, hemophilia, cerebral palsy, cancer and many other conditions will be smiling from ear to ear as they participate in traditional summer camp activities instead of their typical days consisting of doctor visits and medical procedures. At first glance, Dragonfly Forest looks like any other traditional summer camp with swimming, boating, fishing, archery, arts and crafts, ropes courses, performing arts and nature activities. Yet, look more closely and you will find that Dragonfly Forest is specifically designed to meet the physical needs of children with chronic or life-threatening illnesses and allows them to safely enjoy camp activities with onsite medical care. For most of these children, it is a rare opportunity since attending mainstream summer camps would be physically impossible or make them feel like an outcast. They experience a magical transformation, as they sing and dance, learn to soar, and develop important friendships that often last a lifetime.

“Being with others coping with their own disease helps them realize that they are not alone,” said Fred Weiner, executive director, Dragonfly Forest. “When you see the energy level and laughter at camp, you know how much fun they are having and what a difference it makes in their difficult lives. Campers are empowered to do things they never dreamed they could do and are infused with a spirit of accomplishment at every turn.”

“Since I was diagnosed with sickle cell disease in 1993, I always felt that no one could understand what I was going through until I attended camp,” said Jordan White, an 11 year old resident of Yeadon, PA. “Dragonfly Forest changed everything and has played an important role in my learning to live with my disease.”

The dream, which has become Dragonfly Forest, began on a ski slope many years ago when Laura Jansen, founder and chairman of Dragonfly Forest, had the opportunity to ski despite being confined to a wheelchair with MS. “I will never forget the extraordinary feeling I had when I realized I was skiing just like everyone else,” said Jansen. Out of her experience on that mountain came the idea to create a summer camp for kids with serious illnesses - so they too could feel “just like everyone else.”

Dragonfly Forest was established in 2002 with the goal of raising funds to construct a camp designed for seriously ill children in the Philadelphia area. While Dragonfly Forest is still working on finding a permanent home, it has found other ways for children in this area to experience summer camp in the meantime. Last year, it launched Dragonfly Away, which sent 80 children from the Philadelphia area, along with local community volunteers, to established Hole in the Wall camps. Dragonfly Forest is working to become a member of The Association of Hole in the Wall Camps (a not for profit organization that serves 10 existing camps as well as camps in formation) and has achieved threshold status. Each camp is a separate entity expanding founder Paul Newman's dream to provide a recreational and therapeutic camping experience for children facing serious illnesses and life-threatening conditions.

By leasing Camp Green Lane for 2006, Dragonfly Forest has made it even easier for Philadelphia area children to attend camp this summer. Nestled among hundreds of rolling acres in rural, pristine Montgomery County, this unique location provides excitement and adventure for campers in the great outdoors.

Dragonfly Forest has developed a large referral network of hospitals and organizations to make sure that children with serious illnesses (and their parents and caregivers) know that Dragonfly Forest is a wonderful opportunity available to them. “Dragonfly Forest accepts campers based solely on the child’s disease, not the financial health of the family,” said executive director Fred Weiner. “However, many of our campers come from families with a low income as a result of caring for a critically ill child. The opportunity to become a Dragonfly Kid is truly a blessing to so many families in our area.”

Dragonfly Forest, a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization, is committed to offering seriously ill children the opportunity to enjoy a free overnight camp experience in an environment that is designed to meet their physical and medical needs while participating in traditional summer camp activities. Since Dragonfly Forest is free of any charge to children and their families, the generosity of individuals, corporations and foundations provides the financial resources to send children to camp. Established in 2002, Dragonfly Forest is raising funds to find a permanent home in the Philadelphia area, while finding other ways for children with chronic and life-threatening diseases to attend summer camp in the meantime. For more information, please visit www.dragonflyforest.org.