Camper mom, Robin, has always known about The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, having lived nearby her entire life. However, she never expected to be involved until her son, Holden, was diagnosed with Very Severe Aplastic Anemia at just seven years old. It was a life-changing moment, and one that brought the entire family into the Camp community. Initially introduced more formally to Hole in the Wall through the Hospital Outreach Program while Holden was in treatment, the family immediately sought ways to get involved. 

“Once you’re blindsided by a critical illness, you learn that you quickly find a tribe of strangers that ‘get it,’ and it helps to embrace your village that forms,” Robin shared. “Camp provided an entire network of support and ways to still enjoy and participate in special things, even when Holden wasn’t stable enough to participate in anything anywhere else.” 

Holden first came to a summer session in 2023, and since then, the family has been to a Family Camp, Family Weekends and multiple CampOut events. And Robin and her husband, Jason, have also been to a Parent and Caregiver Retreat weekend and multiple parent volunteer days. Even Robin’s father, Stephen, has gotten involved, volunteering his time to support Camp activities. 

“There are and continue to be memories that stand out every time we participate,” Robin said. “Every memory is a reminder of how Camp just seems to collect he best humans in existence across the board. Every PERSON that participates is special, involved, supported and embraced. If Penny, our daughter, attends, it’s a program that focuses just as much on her as on Holden. We have all bonded so deeply with our people.” 

Through Camp, the family has been able to find support, both individually and as a unit. It has provided opportunities for respite and something to look forward to when times feel bleak. But most of all, Hole in the Wall has reminded the family of the power of “a different kind of healing” and of all of the good that is in the world. 

“Camp is all the things you didn’t even know you needed when life sometimes looks it’s darkest,” Robin said. “Camp is the entity in your life that knows what you need before you do. It’s catching your breath, reducing the worry and increasing the support. It’s love, fun and encouragement. It reclaims humanity and separates the illness as the umbrella that overshadows your life. Camp reminds you that magic still exists.” 

Learn more about how Hole in the Wall programs support the entire family by exploring our programs! 

Camp’s new Bereavement Program offers families support through connection with other families who understand. 

While Hole in the Wall has long offered a Day of Remembrance for our bereaved families, it became clear that there was more we could do to support those families coping with a child lost to serious illness. To answer that need, this year, Camp piloted a new Bereavement program, which spans three weekends over 12 months, providing families with Camp activities, group sessions facilitated by a trained bereavement specialist and most importantly, a community of others who have had shared experiences. 

“When we heard about the program, I was really interested because we had not as a family attended any bereavement programs together, so I thought it was a great opportunity for us,” shared Leslie, who attended the first weekend with her husband Sammy and daughter Samantha. “When you go through something like losing a child, you can be surrounded by many people, but you feel like no one truly understands what you’re going through. Meeting other families who have experienced loss, hearing their stories, experiences and what they do to cope and keep their child’s memory alive was something we needed. I’m so thankful for the invitation and can’t wait to see everyone again! It was such a welcoming environment.” 

The first weekend of the program took place this past April and included nine families, some who were new to Camp and others who were already members of the Hole in the Wall community. The weekend was structured to provide time for families to enjoy activities like archery, arts & crafts and more together, while also offering opportunities for moms, dads and siblings to gather with their peers to help facilitate connection and to share about their experiences in a safe space. Each day concluded by honoring and remembering their loved ones. 

“Since Kassandra’s passing, I do everything to keep her legacy and her name alive; running marathons, putting on light shows, that was how I was grieving,” said Sammy. “But this was my first time speaking out loud about my feelings. I never talked to anyone, not even my wife, about how I was feeling. I broke down when I walked in and heard other dads were having similar feelings to what I was going through. It felt like this only happened to us, but it can happen to anyone.” 

In October, the same families gathered again at Camp for the second weekend. It was an opportunity to reunite with those they had built such a close relationship with over a short period of time. And in the spring of 2024, they will all gather together one last time, solidifying those relationships and once again honoring their children. 

“I look forward to reuniting with the families,” Sammy said. “Even though we just met a few times, we are so comfortable, and I feel like if I need anything, I can call them. That’s the feeling, when you mention about the community. It feels good to relate to others.” 

Learn more about the healing power of community and connections during the Bereavement Program here.

Missy Sullivan has always dreamed of running the Boston Marathon. She had planned to run in 2020 but could only join in virtually after the marathon was canceled due to COVID 19. So, when the opportunity came up last year to run the New York Marathon in support of Hole in the Wall, she hesitated. She thought she might want to hold out to see if she could get a bib to run Boston the following spring and wasn’t sure if she could do both. 

“I was a little nervous about being able to fundraise for both races in such a short time, but my friend Korreen, who was a camper, and her husband Billy said they would help, and they did,” Missy said. “It felt really good to run for a purpose and for Korreen. Camp holds a special place in her heart, so it holds a special place in my heart.” 

Missy is no stranger to marathons or to running in support of charities. Over the years, she has run 11 marathons, raising funds for variety of organizations. But when she attended Camp’s Gala last fall and saw first hand what she would be running for, she knew Hole in the Wall was who she wanted to support for Boston and New York. 

“After running New York in the fall, I could have run for any charity for Boston,” Missy shared. “But I didn’t want to run for anybody else but Hole in the Wall. It was very rewarding to know that I was able to help so many sick kids go to Camp.” 

In addition to the support from Korreen and Billy, Missy sold baked goods to raise funds. Because she was fundraising and baking over the holiday season, demand was high, and she raised more than $20,000 for Hole in the Wall over both races. 

“We were delighted to have Missy run both the New York and Boston Marathons for Hole in the Wall,” said Jarrod Zwirko, associate director of community partnerships for Camp. “She is such a positive force, and it was inspiring to see her take on two races in such a short time to help our children and families.” 

There are countless ways to get involved and become a fundraiser like Missy — find the event for you here. 

When camper Troy’s doctor first told his mom Mahogany about The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, she was completely against the idea of him going. But his doctor was persistent, and so was her husband, and so was Troy himself. Their persistence, coupled with the doctor’s assurances that there would be excellent medical care on site, convinced Mahogany to let her son attend. 

Troy came to Camp for the first time in the summer of 2022, and the family soon joined him at a Family Weekend that fall. Troy came back again this past summer, this time joined by his little sister. And at the end of the summer, the entire family once again made the trip to Hole in the Wall for the Family Camp that closed out the season. At Camp, Troy can escape the reality of his illness for a little bit while surrounded by others who get it. 

“Troy talks a lot about his counselors and friends; he’s even still in touch with some of them,” Mahogany said. “it’s good for him to have friends who understand what he goes through. We can’t really understand his pain and issues. But it means a lot for him to have friends who understand.” 

Camp hasn’t just been good for Troy, but for his entire family. Troy’s little sister was able to connect with other siblings who were dealing with similar challenges. And this past summer, Mahogany and her husband were able to attend a Parent and Caregiver Retreat Weekend where they met other parents and learned from their experiences. 

“I didn’t expect the weekend to be as amazing as it was,” Mahogany shared. “I really enjoyed the session with the clown. He gave me great advice on how to relive stress and take a break from reality. And the circle time with the other moms was a weight off of my shoulders. Just talking to a group of women who won’t pity me but will understand me, that was amazing. Camp has been a blessing to our family.” 

To learn more about how Camp programs support the entire family, click here.

Vanessa first came to Hole in the Wall when she was just six years old for a Family Weekend. She was already no stranger to hospitals, having been first diagnosed with Rhabdomyosarcoma at the age of two, and then relapsing at the age of four. After years of treatment and surgeries, it was a relief to have a place she could escape to and be her truest self. 

Over the next several years, Vanessa became a fixture at Camp, returning year after year for the summer program, Family Weekends and even CampOut events. At Camp, Vanessa found kindred spirits and a “hole” lot of fun. 

“Camp brought me a community where I could be truly unjudged and not worry about what people thought of how I looked from my treatment,” Vanessa said. “At Camp, no one questions you or what you’ve gone through. I could just be myself and enjoy the programs. Camp has also gotten me a lot of confidence.” 

After years as a camper, this past summer, Vanessa joined with 31 other former campers to experience a new side of Camp as a summer counselor. Each year, Camp is blessed to see a significant number of our campers return to share their experiences and skills in this important way. When they arrive, they bring an understanding of shared challenges and help campers see that they too can accomplish their dreams. 

“The benefits of former campers coming back and joining our summer staff team are endless,” said Connecticut Camp Director Alan “Pendo” Pender. “Not only are they an incredible resource to the campers because they have been in their shoes, but I also notice how they go the extra mile to ensure the campers have the most amazing week ever. 

I am so grateful for that. But the most impactful part of former campers becoming counselors is that they provide the current campers with motivation, inspiration and HOPE that they too one day can be a Camp counselor.” 

For Vanessa, being on summer staff was something she always planned to do. She was determined to bring Hole in the Wall magic to other children facing serious illnesses, knowing first-hand how those Camp experiences stay with campers and can positively impact them. 

Now, with her first summer on staff behind her, Vanessa has also found that she’s not only sharing “a different kind of healing” with her campers; she’s also still experiencing it herself. She has continued to build confidence and become more comfortable with herself through her time leading the music program. 

“I enjoy getting to see the reactions in other people when they get to experience things at Camp,” Vanessa said. “I think seeing myself in the kids and the things that they do helps me heal my inner child in a way too. Just being able to see them have these happy experiences even though they are dealing with things that are very tough. And being able to relate to the kids and have them know you understand them makes a very big difference. I like being a part of that experience for them.” 

Explore the magic of summer at Camp and learn more about seasonal staff opportunities with our Connecticut Location Summer Program! 

Every summer at Hole in the Wall, you’ll spot a familiar group of nurses volunteering in the infirmary and hear their laughter echoing throughout Camp. Sue, Noel, Diane and Maryanne, fondly called the Golden Girls around these parts, have been a fixture in the OK Corral since 2011, bringing years of healthcare expertise and plenty of silliness. 

The four, who all have spent decades dedicated to nursing careers, met at Camp. First Sue and Noel, who began volunteering as nurses in 2004. Then in 2007, Diane had her first Camp experience. And in 2011, Maryanne joined in the fun. Their stories and backgrounds are unique, coming from Connecticut, New Jersey, New York and even Kansas, but all of them say they leave Hole in the Wall better than when they arrived. 

“Camp makes me a better nurse,” Sue said. “It feeds the soul.” 

Watching the campers grow from year to year is a source of happiness for the group – especially when they find one of their own patients joining them onsite for the week or when one of their former campers comes back as a summer counselor. And seeing what all the campers take from their experiences is inspirational. 

“It’s really heartening to see the kids grow and develop,” Noel said. And Diane added, “Kids with hemophilia learn how to self-inject the factor they need. They buddy up. If one kid is afraid, another will come and help. They all fit in here – no one looks at each other differently.” 

And while the group keeps in touch over the winter and even plans an annual trip to Florida, they can’t wait to get back to Camp each summer to share in the magic. 

“You’re doing good work in a beautiful setting with people who care about you and who you care about,” Maryanne said. “It makes me refreshed and able to face whatever comes my way.” 

Learn more about how you can get involved with the ‘Gang’ as a volunteer here.

When the building that housed arts & crafts, woodshop and the cooking zone was destroyed in a fire in February 2021, our hearts were broken into thousands of pieces. The iconic structure held more than 30 years of memories and special moments and was central to so many camper experiences. 

Now, after an outpouring of love and support from our community that included significant gifts from Travelers, the Travelers Championship and Newman’s Own Foundation, Camp celebrated the rebuilding of this space with the opening of the new Creative Complex! 

It is exciting to see what has arisen from the ashes – a space where memories will be made and friendships forged while creativity shines. The Creative Complex includes not only beautifully appointed rooms for arts & crafts, woodshop and the cooking zone, but also some brand new spaces – the Serenity Room where parents and caregivers can gather around the fireplace and The Quiet Corner sensory space with cozy chairs and bookcases flanking the walls. And with sustainability always in mind, the building will also use geothermal for heating and cooling, which will prevent 77 tons of CO2 from entering the atmosphere. 

But perhaps the most significant part of the building is the centerpiece located in the creative space – a Camp-inspired mosaic comprised of more than 4,000 pieces representing the more than 4,000 donors whose gifts allowed for the construction of the new space. Created by professional mosaic artist and former summer staff and Hospital Outreach specialist, Mia Schon, the art captures the spirit of Camp with symbols like stars, pine trees, sunflowers and more, pulled from the lore and history of Camp. It even has some hidden elements tucked away for campers to find within the piece and help get them excited about creating. 

“This is the most important piece I’ve ever done, and I’m really honored to be creating this piece for Camp,” Mia said. “I was in Israel when I heard about the fire, and I was heartbroken. But mosaics are very symbolic, depicting how though things you love may break, you can put them back together to make something different, new and beautiful. I feel that symbolism fits really well with what happened here and what is to come in the future.” 

Mia got her start working in mosaics as a Hospital Outreach specialist in Boston, where she not only learned the modality, but shared her passion with her colleagues. She later moved to Israel, where she soon began receiving commissions for her work, primarily partnering with non-profits to create murals. Now, returning to Camp to create this piece brings her artistic work full circle. 

Over the three months of the mosaic installation, Mia has also had some Camp friends stop by to provide some help and bring back memories of her time at Hole in the Wall. Donors, volunteers, staff and others have had the opportunity to carefully select and place their own piece within the mural, making the work all the more special. The piece is truly representative of Camp and all the people who make the community so incredible.