You make Camp possible for the entire family when they need it most.
Shelby is a fiercely protective big sister. She’s almost four years older than her younger sister, Reese, who is fighting cancer. When Reese had to get a central line during her treatment and couldn’t swim that summer, Shelby refused to swim to make sure her sister didn’t feel alone.
But Shelby also feels the difficulty of having a sibling with a serious disease because so much of their parents’ time and energy go toward appointments, travel, and worry about Reese. It’s hard on the whole family.
"We're really grateful for this opportunity ... It's been really healing."
One of the ways Ronald McDonald House Charities® of Southern California (RMHCSC) brings Family-Centered Care to life is through Camp Ronald McDonald for Good Times®. Last summer, Shelby and her family experienced a sense of normalcy and joy during an unimaginably difficult time. At Camp, Shelby wasn’t just a sibling, and Reese wasn’t just a patient — they were campers and kids again.
The girls loved it so much they asked to go back for Summer Camp, and that’s when Shelby really began to come out of her shell and shine. At Camp, Shelby could focus on being a kid, just like any other child. She knew her sister was well taken care of and having fun, so she didn’t have to be the worrying big sister. Shelby just had fun.
“We’re really grateful for this type of environment,” says the girls’ mom, Selena. “They can have this experience where they’re just playing, and they’re not the only kids that know the words ‘cancer’ and ‘chemo.’ And being in a community where they’re not the only one … I think it’s been really healing in a way to see. Kids just being kids.”
Thank you for making these important moments possible!
