INFORMATION ON CAMP SIMCHA

Situated on the Jack and Moishe Horn Campus

For kids who are facing cancer or other serious illness, Camp Simcha and Camp Simcha Special provide the experience of a lifetime! Located on the 125 acre Jack and Moishe Horn Campus in Glen Spey, NY, each of these unique camps is an oasis of carefree fun and emotional rejuvenation midst the arduous struggle with illness and pain.

What is it that makes these camps so special?

ENVIRONMENT At Camp Simcha and Simcha Special, kids feel normal about themselves. It's okay to have no hair, to need a wheelchair or use prosthesis. Kids can share their hopes, fears and triumphs with friends, or just forget about them. Most importantly, campers are lavished with love, and enjoy a positive, upbeat environment that imbues them with the confidence and fortitude they need to navigate the forthcoming year's trials.

STAFF The Camp Simcha and Simcha Special staff are legendary! Each applicant is carefully screened and interviewed to determine that they have the right combination of love, fun, empathy and skill that form the recipe for a Camp Simcha counselor. All staff members undergo special orientation and sensitivity training prior to the camp season. Its no wonder so many campers maintain ongoing relationships with their counselors throughout the year via Chai Lifeline's Big Brother and Big Sister programs!

ACTIVITIES A Camp Simcha/Simcha Special summer is packed with enough fun, activities, and special events to last a lifetime - or at least until next summer! Miniature golf, appropriate sports, pottery, drama, and boating are some of our regular activities, not to mention fantastic, medically supervised day trips! The swimming pool and sports facilities are handicapped accessible and are designed to accommodate kids confined to wheelchairs. There's also an on-site arcade, library, and video screening room. Special events include concerts, hot air balloon rides, and even helicopter rides! Nobody knows how to give sick children a great time like Camp Simcha and Camp Simcha Special.

KID-FRIENDLY FOOD Our culinary staff provides nourishing and delicious meals that are designed to meet the specific needs of each camper. Even kids with weak appetites are tempted by our scrumptious menu. There's also a free canteen with a wide variety of health conscious and yummy snacks!

ON-SITE 24-HOUR MEDICAL SUPERVISION

• Camp Simcha Under the direction of Peter Steinherz MD of Memorial Sloan-Kettering, Camp Simcha's staff includes oncologists and pediatric oncology nurses, as well as a social worker and physical therapist.
• Camp Simcha Special Under the direction of Stuart Ditchek MD, renowned pediatrician and author, Camp Simcha Special's infirmary is staffed by specially trained pediatricians, as well as pediatric specialists and nurses.

The camps consult with each camper's physician as necessary before the camp season, and carefully follow all plans of care and nutrition. For added security, a fully staffed acute transport ambulance is on-site, and a medical-helicopter is on call. The elaborate medically sensitive accommodations at the camps are carefully adapted to blend into the background, not interfering with the carefree atmosphere of joie de vivre that reigns supreme.