PCFLV campers enjoy smiles aplenty
Camp Smile brought a week full of joy recently to campers at the annual event hosted by the Pediatric Cancer Foundation of the Lehigh Valley at Muhlenberg College’s Moyer Hall.
The day camp provided local kids battling cancer and their siblings, along with children who have lost a sibling to cancer, a chance to play games, work on arts and crafts, swim and participate in theater.
Attendees were ages 4 to 15.
“We’ve had a great week,” Executive Director Michelle Zenie Rounds said. “We’ve been really excited to have so many kids again this year.”
She expressed appreciation for the volunteers, counselors and especially for the efforts of Camp Smile Director Kristine Buss.
“We have been doing Camp Smile for 12 years,” Buss said. “I’ve been involved for 11 years.”
The Upper Macungie Township resident also serves as the services and program director at PCFLV.
“This is my favorite program to do at the Pediatric Cancer Foundation,” Buss said. “It’s my most favorite week of the year.”
Activities are tailored for three age groups, the youngest being ages 4-7, 8-11 in the middle group and 12- to 14-year-olds in the older group.
Ten of this year’s attendees had aged out, but returned as volunteers.
Hopping along in a potato sack race bag was Alyssa Smith as she completed a section of the Camp Smile obstacle course.
“It’s just a very good time here,” the student at Circle of Seasons Charter School said.
She is one of three Schnecksville siblings participating in camp activities.
Oldest brother Gregory was diagnosed with brain cancer at age 9.
“I heard about Camp Smile and they invited us to come along,” Gregory Smith said, who had just completed chemotherapy at the time.
“We started attending I believe the next year,” he remarked. “It just was a really fun experience.”
He now volunteers as a camp counselor, along with his brother Chase.
“It’s nice to see the other side of everything, where you get to help and kind of pay for the things you got to do as a kid as well,” the cancer survivor said.
The brothers are students at Parkland High School.
Another trio of siblings from Hanover Township enjoyed Camp Smile activities.
Accompanying cancer warrior Jude Marzen were his brother Isaac and sister Cora.
“My favorite activity is theater,” Cora said, a student at a private Christian school.
Jude Marzen’s favorite thing to do at camp is lacrosse.
A student at Eyer Middle School, Leslie Moore, who was diagnosed with cancer at age 5, started attending Camp Smile with a fellow cancer patient.
Arts and crafts are her favorite camp stations.
Seventeen kids in the Lehigh Valley received a new cancer diagnosis according to PCFLV Marketing and Community Relations Coordinator Tracy Stauffer.
Another child received a secondary diagnosis of cancer and a 15-year-old died after being diagnosed in March.
Stauffer’s daughter Vanessa is a cancer survivor and volunteers as a counselor.
The 2024 Parkland High graduate is headed to Kutztown University to major in early education.
Funding for Camp Smile is provided by corporate sponsors, grants and donations.
The Pediatric Cancer Foundation of the Lehigh Valley provides free programming and services to local children with cancer and their families.
The nonprofit is celebrating its 20th anniversary 4-7 p.m. July 31 with tours, food, face painting, balloons and more.
The Chamber of Commerce ribbon cutting is at 5 p.m.
PCFLV is located at 4501 Crackersport Road, South Whitehall Township.
For more Information, call 484-221-9294 or visit pcflv.org.