Tag Archives: Family Day Camp

Metro Health – University of Michigan Health hosts free day camp for cancer families

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By Jennifer Hoff

Metro Health – University of Michigan Health

 

Metro Health – University of Michigan Health will host Family Day Camp, an annual event for families coping with cancer, from 3-5 p.m. every Thursday afternoon, July 13 through Aug. 3. Camp will be held at The Cancer Center at Metro Health Village, 5950 Byron Center Ave. SW.

 

A free four-week program, Family Day Camp provides education and emotional support for families that have a loved one battling cancer.

 

“Family Day Camp is a fun, supportive environment that gives participants a chance to learn about cancer and its effect on the family,” says Metro Health – University of Michigan Health President and CEO Michael Faas. “It helps families form stronger bonds with each other, while also connecting with other families that understand what they’re going through.”

 

Each two-hour session will be packed with fun for all ages. The entire family is invited, from newborns to great-grandparents. Children may participate without an adult, though families are encouraged to attend together.

 

“We’ve gathered the best family fun activities from around Grand Rapids and brought them all to the Cancer Center at Metro Health,” says Laura Smith, Cancer Center director. “We want families to be able to have some fun together while someone they love is battling a disease.”

 

Activities and educational topics will vary depending on the day. Families can participate in one or all of the four sessions:

 

  • July 13: Someone I Love is Sick (about cancer)
  • July 20: Battling the Bad Guys (about cancer treatment)
  • July 27: I’m Still Me (about changes in loved ones and routines)
  • August 3: Happy or Sad, the Good and the Bad (how to express emotions and support each other)

 

Participants are invited to meet at the big tent beside the cancer center. There’s no charge and no need to register in advance.

 

Family Day Camp is hosted by Metro Health Child Life Services, a department that specializes in helping children cope with illness, injury and hospitalization. The annual camp is funded through donations to the Metro Health Hospital Foundation.