OAK's Camp Reach for the Sky FLASHLIGHT

A Glimpse Inside ROC

noreply@blogger.com (Camp Reach for the Sky) — Sun, 14 Jul 2019 07:33:00 +0000

It's been one week since we wrapped up our first summer camp session. Resident Oncology Camp, better known as ROC, was a huge success! Campers checked in at Dave & Busters and got on the bus headed to YMCA's Camp Marston in Julian. Volunteers lined up singing their camp chant as the kiddos arrived, ready to help them settle into their cabins.

Throughout the week campers engaged in action packed activities! Campers were welcomed with carnival rides, including swings and a frog hopper. There were also various carnival games to enjoy. Campers were surprised with a traditional luau which included a hog roast, for dinner. The night was closed out with a much anticipated memorial camp fire honoring those that we've lost in between camp seasons.

As many of you probably know by now, every day there is a different theme. With each theme every camper and counselor is encouraged to dress up and many of the activities throughout the day are somehow related to the given theme. Tuesday's theme was TV Show Day where they hosted a karaoke session and night hike. For some of the older cabins, they also set up a casino night. Karaoke was definitely a fan (or camper) favorite that night!! I think the s'mores definitely helped make that decision a easy one!

Wednesday's Disney theme led to the most extravagant day of the week. Toy Story stole the show! There were several Woodys, Buzz Lightyears, and Jessies. Finding Nemo also had a good turn out with Squirt and Crush along with Nemo and Dory. There were also some guest appearances by some of the 7 Dwarfs, Edna Mode and The Mad Hatter. With that much spirit it was only fitting to host the Seany's CR4TS talent show! There was lots of singing and dancing along with some really helpful make up tutorials! The campers did an amazing job! Wednesday is also the day when everyone gets to pick out one of the hand made Rosie's quilts! I think it's safe to say everyone got to sleep a little warmer and a little more snug after getting their quilts

July 4th was by far the most patriotic and had the most participation. Everyone was dressed in their red, white and blue for the day. During the day the campers got to witness quite the show down during the Hot Dog Eating Contest. Dr. Vudoo, Mermaid, Batman, Guvnah, Pierogie, BamBam, Talltoes, Spud, WannaHockaloogie and Frenchie all gave it their best shot, but Dr. Vudoo took the crown. They were all given 10 minutes to eat as many hot dogs as possible. These weren't your usual little league hot dogs, these were the Costco size hotdogs that put all others to shame. Dr. Vudoo finished 6 3/4 and Guvnah wasn't too far behind! The night was topped off with the annual camp dancing with the stars event where fireworks were enjoyed thanks to being televised in the dance hall.

The party continued on Friday with the themed Party Day. The party started with the KOA breakfast and continued on with the annual Mudd Bowl. Despite what you may have heard from your favorite counselors, the Teens stole the show this year! Although it was close, the teens pulled off the win and own all bragging rights until next year's Mudd Bowl where the counselors will attempt to reclaim the crown (good luck with that one!). As always, camp was closed out with their traditional camp fire where everyone has the opportunity to set their intentions for the upcoming year. The teens followed up with a special campfire of their own where they honor all the graduating campers and shared their memories with one another.

In addition to the special daily activities and themes, campers get to enjoy various activities all week long. Arts & crafts provided everyone the chance to make clay pottery. There was also rock climbing, paint balling, and water sports throughout the week. Campers got to enjoy canoeing and paddle boarding on the lake thanks to beautiful weather and lots of rain earlier this year.

Every year it is an incredible blessing to see all the campers enjoying one another and hanging out with one another. It is always amazing to see how much the campers have grown year to year and getting to meet new campers. To all the families, volunteers, sponsors, donors, and campers we say thank you. We appreciate you. We are grateful that you allow us to continuously be a part of your journey and we hope that you will continue to join us for various events throughout the year. For those who are already missing ROC, we will being our second Movie Matinee next Sat. July 20th with The Lion King. Please feel free to join us and continue with the camp spirit!

Until next year, this isn't good bye, but rather a see you later!

Fireside Chat Recap

noreply@blogger.com (Camp Reach for the Sky) — Fri, 14 Jun 2019 22:53:00 +0000

Over the past couple of weeks The Seany Foundation has held several FB Live sessions engaging with parents and potential new families for the upcoming camp season. Our goal is to provide a space and opportunity to address any unanswered questions familes and loved ones may have as they consider joining the Camp Reach for the Sky community. At TSF we work hard to provide transparency, clarity, and security with all of our events. We were asked some really great questions about camp, logistics, expectations, and much more. In case you misse it, here is a recap!

Q & A:
We had many questions about the logistics of camp: How is medication distributed? What are the goals of camp? Which sessions can I register for? Are there staff members who can speak Spanish? How are allergies managed?

We'll start with the basics. Who can register for camp and how can I register my kiddos? Our three main camps are for kiddos ages 4-17. We have three different sessions Resident Oncology Camp (ROC), Sibling Camp (SIBS), and Day Camp. Day Camp is for our younger kiddos aged four to about ten. The reason I say about ten is because once kids have reached eight they begin attending our over night camps, ROC and SIBS. Kiddos between the ages of 8-17 go to one of our two over night camps. ROC is for the children who are current or former patients, while SIBS is for their siblings.

The goal, for each camp, is to provide the entire family with a break. A break from the norm, a break from challenges and worries. A week to be "normal" (whatever that really means). A week to just forget about the big C word. A week to be in community with people who get it. A week to just be with and build with your tribe.

Are there capacity issues for camps? Day Camp has a little more flexibility than the over night camps. Additionally, ROC and SIBS are the first two camps so they tend to fill up earlier in than Day Camp. If you are considering camp, even if you are on the fence, I always recommend registering. If you register and change your mind you can always decline but if you don't give yourself the chance you might end up missing out on something great. Always give yourself options so you can be empowered to make the choice you truly want to make.

How much does camp cost? For who? YOU? It's absolutely FREE!! We work year round to raise money so that none of our campers have to pay a penny. On average it costs us $500/camper to attend camp but we won't ask you to pay a penny.

Can I donate to camp? There are many ways to can contribute to the success of camp. TSF hosts events throughout the year in benefit of the camps including: movie nights, chef's fest, our gala, golf tournament, 5K and 3rd party fundraisers. Additionally, each camp has a wish list that we put together for all of our camp activities and arts & crafts. If you would like to give back to camp we encourage you to attend an event, become a 3rd party host, or check out our Amazon wish list.

What is the difference between the three camps? Aside for the difference in age groups the biggest difference is that Day Camp is not an over night camp like ROC and SIBS. Each camp is very similar in that we have themes throughout the week, days packed with fun camp activities, pool days, arts & crafts, lots of camp songs, bonding time, and healthy snacks! Each camp will have it's own little twist but the spirit of them all is just the same.

How are medications and allergies handled? Each camp has their own Med Shed. At the over night camps cabins are transformed into a medical room in the woods, while at Day Camp, we transform part of the Girl Scouts common area into a medical corner. You can take a look at our previous blog to get more details on the Med Shed and the Medical staff.

Medication: All medications, from treatments to pain killers to allergy medications and everything in between is handled by our Doctors and nurses. This holds true for all campers, staff, and volunteers while on camp grounds. Although we might have medications on hand, such as Tylenol, we do not have treatment or allergy medications on hand. We ask each family to pack the necessary amount to get through the day or week.

Allergies: Allergies and food sensitivities are also taken very seriously. All our camps are peanut free and we are continuously working to find fun, healthy options. We understand that many parents are becoming more aware and conscious of ingredients in our food and we are continuously making efforts to be just as mindful. As much as we try not to, sometimes we miss the mark, so please, if there are very specific snacks or foods you would like your child to eat that we may not have on hand, please send them (especially at Day Camp). Help us, help you by having that conversation.

Sunscreen: One of the scenarios we discussed on the Fireside Chat was the topic of sunscreen! We have sunscreen available in the Med Shed, but like food sensitivities and requests, we do ask that if there is a specific brand of sunscreen you would like us to use for your kiddo, please send it with them to camp. Even at Day Camp we re-apply sunscreen a couple times throughout the day so if we don't have something specific provided by the parents, we use what we have on hand.

What if my child has school during the week of camp? We understand the importance of school as well as the additional challenges many of our kiddos face within the school system. We do not take missing school lightly. We have been working to strengthen our collaboration with the local school districts so that your children can fully participate worry free. Here at TSF we also help advocate with the schools and teachers so that your children can benefit from camp without the worry, stress, and anxiety of missing school.

We do our best to schedule all our summer camp sessions so there is minimal disruption or over lap with the school year. One of the challenges we face is that there are many different tracks throughout the county and at times it is impossible to find weeks that everyone is out of school at the same time.

Please let us know how we can advocate or assist in making the arrangements so your child can get the best of both worlds and we will be happy to provide some help and guidance.

How do we select volunteers? We are fortunate to have such a dedicated and loving group of volunteers. Every volunteer, no matter how long they have been with us, must apply to each camp, every single year. Every year we also do background checks on every individual. We invite volunteers to camp who demonstrate that they are able to put the campers first.

We are also fortunate to have such a diverse group of volunteers that continues to grow. We have our volunteers that are 18 years and older as well as our Leadership In Training program who provide additional support. With the understanding that we have kiddos with different gait challenges, as well as, dual diagnoses, we are mindful in maintaining a low camper-to-counselor ratio.

The diversity in our volunteers can be seen in our ages, backgrounds, experiences, abilities and professions. Many of our volunteers are even former campers themselves so they understand what it's like to be in your kiddos shoes.

Do volunteers have any training or prior experience? Yes and yes! Even volunteers who have been with us for 20+ years must attend training EVERY YEAR for EVERY CAMP they will be volunteering with. Our training is in collaboration with our medical staff as well as other professionals so that all volunteers will be able to identify and respond accordingly to potential concerns, behavioral changes, and other challenges. Our training is thorough and ever evolving. We address everything from communication styles and how to engage all our kiddos to how to collaborate with the Med Shed to ensure they are all included and embraced.

We pull from the educators, teachers, counselors and other professionals every year to make sure our training is up to date and accurate.

What kind of activities will my child be doing? Although activities vary from camp to camp, overall your child will be having fun filled days with everything from talent shows and arts & crafts to pool time and rock climbing. There are movies and games, talk times and singing. We work for about 6-8 months in advance to come up with fun filled days that work for every camper. We understand not all campers will love every activity but we also brainstorm ways we can ensure that all kiddos will be engaged and involved.

Every year we have kiddos who are on treatment, with ports, with gait issues, wheel chairs, or have additional diagnoses such as ADD/ADHD and Austim. I say that to let you know that we have seen
just about everything and we have yet to run into a situation where are unable to have a kiddo fit right in. I think part of the magic about camp is that everyone has as sense of belonging.

What does transportation look like? Depends on the camp. For the over night camps TSF provides transportation. There is a designated pick up/drop off location at Dave & Buster's and we get everything taken care of. For Day Camp families are responsible for the pick up and drop off each day. We do have some families that have a longer commute and will partner with one another to carpool but TSF will not provide transportation for Day Camp the same way we do for the overnights.

Can we visit our children at camp/volunteer at the camp? As tempting as this is, we do not allow visits or volunteering while your kiddo is at camp. We really want this to be a time for everyone in the family to have a week of independence. We have everything on hand, including medical staff that can take care of any immediate concern. We work hard to provide as much transparency as possible. If there were ever an emergency situation we would not hesitate to inform you.

Does my child get homesick? We are often asked if the kiddos get homesick and our answer is just get them on the bus! As parents we do everything in our power to make sure our kiddo is smiling, happy and ok so when we see our kiddo hesitate or we have our own sense of hesitation we tend to hold our kiddos back and keep them home. My philosophy is always this: try it. Try it and give it your all. Worst case scenario is that the week passes and your family decides it wasn't for you. But can you imagine the best case scenario? The best case scenario is that your kiddo loves it and gets to share stories with you about all their favorite buddies and camp counselors. Best case scenario is that they want to give it another try next year. Best case scenario is that your kiddo gets to experience a few days of normalcy. Best case scenario is that your tribe grows a little bigger this year.

It reminds me of the first time I had to leave my kiddos at day care or for a work trip. We love our children, we love their presence and we love sharing moments with them. When we have kiddos who have additional needs we also get very attached to the idea that we need to care for them 24/7 and we aren't used to having someone come along and say "don't worry, we got you". I get it. We get it. We're here for your part of the process too if this brings you any feels of unease or anxiety. I wish there was a magic phrase I could tell you that would magically make the unrest subside but unfortunately, it doesn't quite work that way. The best way to explore all of this is to give camp a shot and allow us to be a part of your journey. Which leads to our next question:

What are parent socials? Parent socials are something new we are implementing for the over night camps. We are well aware that when the kiddos go away from camp many parents are left with unfamiliar time on their hands we aren't quite sure what to do with. This has caused some parents anxiety or even a sense of restlessness. We have other parents who don't experience these feelings but would also love to get out of the house and hang out while their kiddo is at camp but aren't quite sure where to go. So, we are providing the solution. While your kiddo is enjoying their time up at camp and building their tribe, we want you to get out, put your feet up, let your hair down and grow your tribe too! Check with TSF to see what day of the week it will be held during your kiddos camp session and come join the fun!

What are the Seany Movie nights/mornings? As I mentioned earlier, we have events throughout the year in benefit of our camp sessions. The movie nights/mornings are hosted by TSF and held at the Ultra Star Cinema in Hazard Center. We show movie premieres such as Star Wars, Captain America and our most recent one, Avengers End Game. All proceeds benefit our camp sessions. This year we will have some more coming up like Lion King, IT, and I believe Star Wars to finish off the year.

What is the CARES Initiative? The CARES initiative was established a couple years ago to address the needs and concerns of the whole family. We recognize that our campers face the regular every day struggles and complications of growing up as well as the additional complications that cancer may bring. We also recognize that the entire family is impacted by a diagnosis, not just the parent or the patient. We wanted to expand some of the healing that happens at camp throughout the year. Last year this led to the birth of our first ever Thrivership Symposium that was a great success. I describe it as a wrap around approach that works to provide healing to everyone who has been impacted. We are working to normalize conversations about cancer, provide education, and to help get rid of the taboo side of things. From this we have re-established this blog, produced helpful podcasts, began our Fireside Chats on FB live and have become more intentional with our camp activities.

We know there are probably more questions out there and we encourage you to ask. We will work to address every question and concern you may have so we can continue to connect and build our tribe together. Please feel free to check out our website www.TheSeanyFoundation.org to see more information about everything we have in the works. There is also a commonly asked question section that you can take a look at.

Got a question? Let us know!!!

Our Med Shed Angels

noreply@blogger.com (Camp Reach for the Sky) — Wed, 22 May 2019 07:07:00 +0000

Sending your kiddo off to camp for a week can be scary for ANY parent, but this is especially true for parents with kiddos who have been faced with a cancer diagnosis. It is no secret that here at The Seany Foundation (TSF) we host multiple camps throughout the year, none of which would be possible without the angels on our Medical Staff. ALL of our camps have volunteer doctors and nurses who are on site and readily available 100% of the time for any medical needs.

These medical needs extend beyond cancer needs as well. We are able to safely host any kiddo with just about any medical concern at all of our camps. This doesn't mean that all of our kiddos and families are necessarily undergoing active treatment. This also doesn't mean that your kiddo has to be facing a terminal diagnosis to attend. This DOES mean that we can reassure you that on any given day, at any given time, under any given circumstance that we have an amazing crew ready to handle whatever comes our way.

Today I would like you to hear from our two Co-Head Nurses Chowdah and Montana:

"Hey there we are the "Med Shed" Leadership Team Chowdah and Montana, co-head nurses of Seany's Camp Reach for the Sky (CR4TS). Chowdah is heading into her 11th summer with camp and Montana has been with us for over 10 years as well. Along with the entire medical staff, we are excited to kick off the 2019 summer camp sessions! Being involved as a health care provider and as specialist in hematology/oncology is such an honor. It is rewarding to see campers and families escpaing the hospital, even for a short time, to laugh, be a kid, accomplish a goal that may have seemed impossible, and making lifelong friendships that last for YEARS beyond camp.

What does the Med Shed do you may ask? We work throughout the year planning for the possible medical needs of the campers and staff for each session. At camp, the med shed is staffed with experienced doctors and nurses who specialize in hematology/oncology and the complex issues that may come up at camp. We oversee the health and well being of campers and staff. We create a health clinic environment in the mountains providing first aid, management of camper medical issues including diabetes management, asthma management, administration of all medications and injections needed and most things in between. Our goal is to keep campers safe and healthy while away at camp. We are well equipped with tools and knowledge to manage camper injuries and symptoms should anything occur. We also coordinate with local hospitals and emergency transport should health issues beyond our abilities arise.

Chowdah, Amy, and Montana

We have a variety of roles from management of an emergency to taking out a splinter, to washing and dressing a scrape, to simply comforting a camper who may be missing home."

One of the best parts about our Med Shed is that the nurses and doctors that volunteer their time at camp are the same nurses and doctors that see majority of our kiddos. This is important because the campers are able to see familiar faces, are working with a medical staff that already knows them and their family, and there is already a trusting bond between the Med Shed staff and our families.

Have you ever seen a clinic environment in the mountains? They work to transform cabins that are equipped with mobile medical cots with everything they could possibly need...even the sunscreen! We also understand that not every camper will need to use the Med Shed and that's perfectly fine too. Whether your kiddo was recently diagnosed or has been in remission for 15 years, every single one of them belongs at camp. Our goal is to create an atmosphere where everyone is not only welcomed, but included as part of our camp community, our only rule is that parents go take some time for themselves during the time their kiddos are with us because parents deserve some free time too!

If you have any questions about camp, the medical staff, what can or cannot treat while at camp, how any (or all) of this is possible....or maybe you are simply questioning whether or not this camp is for your kiddo join us next Wednesday, June 5th for a FB Live at 10am and 7pm! Check out our Facebook and Instagram pages for specific times and details! If you have a question you want us to address leave a comment, message us on our social media platforms, or simply tune in!!

We look forward to seeing everyone, new and returning, to answer any questions you may have as we get ready to kick off our famous summer sessions!!

FB: The Seany Foundation
IG: @TheSeanyFoundation
Website: TheSeanyFoundation.org

Meet the Directors

noreply@blogger.com (Camp Reach for the Sky) — Wed, 15 May 2019 06:19:00 +0000

Meet the Directors

2019 TSF Everything is Possible Gala

We are mid way through May and camp prep is fully underway! This year we are at the beginning of our new leadership terms, which means we have three new directors who are excited and ready for the camp season to kick off! Let's meet the directors....

Meet Chips: Resident Oncology Camp (ROC) Director, 1st year

"I have been involved with camp for the past 10 years after being introduced by her sister-in-law, Gidget. My favorite part about camp is to see it change the lives of not only the campers but all the volunteers. It is simply amazing. When I am not busy prepping for camp, I work full time as a Physical Therapist Assistant. I also enjoy volunteering as part of the medical staff at a local high school, enjoy the outdoors, traveling, working out, and trying new restaurants." -Chips

Meet Noodles: Sibling Camp (SIBS) Director, 2nd year
"Hello everyone! Noodles here! I have been a part of Camp Reach for the Sky since 2002. I started out as a Sibling Camp camper and am now the Sibling Camp Director, so I guess you could say I came to camp and never left! My favorite camp song is Tarzan of the Apes! I look forward to seeing all the campers and camp volunteers this year! See you all soon!" -Noodles

Meet Scrappy: Day Camp Director, 1st year
"Hey camp family! It's Scrappy! I am incredibly excited for Day Camp this year, just like every other year! I was introduced to camp about 18 years ago by Yoda and immediately fell in love with the kiddos, the families, and the volunteers. Aside from camp I work as a counselor in the community, in various capacities, and love volunteering and engaging with The Seany Foundation community. I'm stoked to reveal everything that we have in the works for this upcoming camp session!!" -Scrappy

It's amazing to think that collectively these three directors share 45 years of CR4TS camp experience. They have been working since the end of last year, along with the rest of their leadership staff, to ensure that each camp will be tailored and special for each camp session. There is no way any of the camps would be possible without the support of the entire leadership team. In total, leadership is comprised of about 30 volunteers across the 3 camps. Additionally, we also have the supportive staff from The Seany Foundation that has worked year round. The excitement is building and I think it's safe to say that camp couldn't get here quick enough!!

On behalf of The Seany Foundation and all of CR4TS, we hope you and the kiddos are excited and ready for the months to come! As always we thank each and every one of you for trusting us and allowing us to be a part of your journey and we hope you are just as excited as we are.

Upcoming Events:
- Camp Fundraiser: Sunday, May 19th 11am-Midnight
Woodstock's College Grove will donate 20% of all proceeds to CR4TS, just mention The Seany Foundation at the check out!
-Seany's Golf Tournament: Monday, May 20th
For tickets, visit: https://www.theseanyfoundation.org/for-family/events/

Introducing the Junior Council 2019

noreply@blogger.com (Camp Reach for the Sky) — Wed, 01 May 2019 17:54:00 +0000

As many have heard by now, The Seany Foundation is working harder than ever to provide wrap around services to all of our families. This includes the patient, the siblings, the caregivers, and everyone included. This also means that we are taking a holistic approach to how we are developing programs and conceptualizing projects. For those of you who have children that went to Teen Winter Weekend this past February know that this also means we are re-vamping how we do things and re-launching programs that had went away for a little bit.

With the help of long-time camp veteran, Stibi, we are re-launching the Junior Council. The intention in creating Junior Council is to create an institution where teens and young adults can develop a greater connection with The Seany Foundation community and programs while developing leadership skills in the process. The Junior Council will be an asset to both TSF community as well as everyone involved.

Stibi has spent the past 12 years working in various leadership roles within Camp Reach for the Sky, many of those years spent with the teens in both our Resident Oncology Camp as well as Siblings Camp. Outside of camp Stibi is a teacher and mentor to many other teens and young adults in the community.

It is important for us, at TSF, to recognize that our children will soon become adults and leaders within the community. A familial cancer diagnosis has added complications to every day challenges but we are here to address them. We recognize that our future leaders are extremely talented, intelligent, resilient, and creative and we are stepping up with the re-launch of the Junior Council to foster that growth and empower our campers, their families, their friends, and our community through this mentorship program.

The Junior Council is open to any and all of our campers and LIT ages 13-20 years old. If you or someone you know would be interested in joining TSF Junior Council please see the requirements below and feel free to leave us a comment, visit our website, or reach out via social media and we will get in contact with you!

Requirements:

-Must be between 13-20 years old

-Must have attended at least one full Camp Reach for the Sky camp session, in any capacity

-Must be committed to attending Junior Council meetings (to be held virtually so you will need internet access whether it is through a phone or computer)

-Attendance at select TSF events, TBD by the Junior Council members and coordinator, Stibi

Applications are now available! Thank you for allowing us to be a continued part of your journey, please reach out to any one of us and we will be more than happy to help! Here, at TSF, we know that everything in life after a diagnosis has a little twist to it. We are here to help you navigate those twists, continue to develop your leadership, all while allowing YOU (the campers and families) to lead the way and let your voices be heard. You’re never too young to start! You might be surprised and what you can accomplish when coming together!

Family Camp 2019

noreply@blogger.com (Camp Reach for the Sky) — Wed, 17 Apr 2019 23:12:00 +0000

The weekend of April 5th TSF hosted our second camp session of the year! April’s camp session is our weekend long Family Camp that serves families who are working through the challenges of having a parent/guardian cancer diagnosis. This year we had 20 families join us at Whispering Winds Camp in Julian to enjoy a weekend filled with movie nights, camp fires (don’t forget the smores!), healing arts, talk times, and holistic healing activities such as acupuncture, messages, chiropracty and yoga.

Although 72 hours seems to come and go in the blink of an eye, the magic that happens during those hours lasts a life time. We shared our hopes, dreams, and set intentions for one another. We prayed for healing and understanding. We laughed, we cried, we sang, we told jokes, and we shared an experience with one another that goes far beyond the hours spent up on that mountain.

For the new families that came to join us, thank you for your energy and your spirit, thank you for trusting The Seany Foundation, thank you for being a part of our community, and thank you for joining this incredible family.

BUT! This isn’t Vegas, so what happens on that mountain doesn’t just stay on that mountain. What was started there continues when we come back home! Please remember, from The Seany Foundation to your family and from one family to another, we are here to support you for the other 8,600+ hours in the year! I think one of the biggest concerns, especially when facing a health issue such as cancer, that we worry about is burdening one another. We have all be there so we understand and one thing we take pride in, is that we stick to our word. Our word is this: WE ARE HERE FOR YOU! Let this be your friendly reminder that if we all come together in community and do our part, no one person will be left to carry the burden on their own. That is a burden that is too much for one soul to carry.

We have many different resources available through our brand-new website: TheSeanyFoundation.org for all ages! If you don’t see what you’re looking for drop a comment, leave a message, find us on social media (Facebook and Instagram), or contact one of us directly.

Thank you for allowing us to be a part of your family’s journey!

Havana Nights

noreply@blogger.com (Camp Reach for the Sky) — Wed, 27 Mar 2019 06:36:00 +0000

This past weekend hundreds of us gathered in celebration at the TSF 11^th annual Everything Is Possible Gala. We weren’t JUST celebrating though, we were also working in an effort to raise money for TSF, camp, and the CARES initiative so we can continue with our mission of providing kiddos and their families, who have been impacted by cancer, services and support. This year’s theme was Havana Nights and it was BEAUTIFUL! From the live band to kick off the night, the styles that filled the room, to the Cubana style dinner, Havana vacations, and LIVE performance everything was absolutely incredible.

The room was filled with so much love. We had guest speakers, Robby Medina, TSF COO who talked about camp, volunteers, and the love we all share for the work that we do. We were blessed to hear from Peter Schroder, father of Kimi, who shared the immense impact The Seany Foundation had on him and Kimi. The impact was far greater than any one week at camp, we become family who care, who love, who support, and who will be there in the best of times as well as the most challenging. We also got to witness Phil Pace of Phil’s BBQ receive his TSF Community Service Award. Phil has been such a champion and supporter of TSF and his generosity set the bar for the night! Phil has the biggest heart of anyone I have seen and for him to continuously support and show love for TSF and the families we serve is such a great honor.

As a first-time gala attendee, I must say, the bar has been set incredibly high! I don’t believe there were any dry eyes left in the room, the love was abundant, the support was incredible, and overall the night was magical. It was a beautiful opportunity sharing space with both the volunteers and the supporters of TSF as it is rare that we all get to be together. Typically, those of us who dedicate our time to camp share camp songs, dirt, mountains, and children climbing on us but this weekend was different. This was probably the first time we got to see each other with make up on, our hair done, and dressed to impress.

May I also add how FUN the night was! Of course we get a case of the "feel goods" when our heart strings are being tugged at! There was also the fun of the bidding. For anyone who has never been, it was like a scene straight out of a movie! Paddles were flying as cheers filled the room. People were winning and donating back then winning some more. My eyes must have looked like a pin ball machine trying to keep up with the action, yet those who were in the midst of it were cool as a cucumber! In my humble opinion, the auctioneer stole the night, he was SO FUN!! If you've never witnessed an auctioneer live please do yourself a favor and add that to your bucket list! I promise, you won't regret it!

If you weren’t there you definitely missed out on a night to remember! The good news is that there will always be next year!

Thank you to Phil Pace and Phil’s BBQ for the continued support and congrats on the much deserving and well earned Community Service Award! Thank you to EVERYONE who came out and SHOWED out, our work is made possible because of supporters like YOU!

3 Ways to Keep Your Child Safe on the Internet

noreply@blogger.com (Camp Reach for the Sky) — Wed, 13 Mar 2019 06:38:00 +0000

Im sure by now you have heard about the Momo Challenge that was recently circulating. Parents became furious at the news of this disturbing challenge that was targeting young children and teens.

There was a feeling of betrayal as reports suggested that this challenge was embedded in children videos. As parents, caregivers, teachers, or anyone who has youngins, how do we protect them?

1. We have to stay informed and know what's out there. There is no way we can completely keep up with the latest apps and how they all work, but we can definitely make an effort to stay informed. Below are 14 apps parents should be aware of. These apps allow our children to interact with other people and many times with little guidance. Although many apps will have an age "verification", you can imagine how easy it is to put in a birth year that suddenly makes our 13 year old child a 43 years old adult.

Please take a few moments to look at the description of these apps. If you look closely at the calculator app it explains that it is one of the many "secret apps" that allows you (or your kiddo) to hide photos, videos, and other files. Apps like SnapChat allows you to post videos that disappear within 24 hrs. Although these may appear to be secure it is important that users know the potential danger and impact of using these apps.

2. Talk to your children! Engage with them. Ask them what they are doing and take a genuine interest in them. Monitor what they are doing on the web. It can be so easy to just give them a phone or tablet and let them stay entertained but we should know what apps they are using, who they are interacting with, and why they like these particular apps so much. Previous generations didn't grow up on computers, tablets, or smart phones. We were excited to get home after the street lights came on and log into AIM (AOL Instant Messenger) but that was about it. Some of us were excited to learn coding so we could help design our friends' Myspace pages, even then, the interaction was very different. I can still remember when 2-way pagers came out and realizing that was cutting edge technology at that time!

Sometimes my mind is still in those times so I can't fully grasp why kiddos love online gaming so much, or why they prefer watching YouTube videos of kids playing with toys instead of ACTUALLY playing with toys themselves.

Here are a few simple conversation starters:
-What are you watching? Can I watch with you?
-What app is that? Are your friends on there too?
-Oh! That looks fun, can you show me how to use that?
-Who are you talking to? Tell them I said hi!
-Do you know about _________? (i.e. the Momo Challenge)

3. Have honest, age appropriate conversations with them about internet safety. Also let them know what your expectations are. Unfortunately, with this most recent Momo Challenge it can be a tough conversation with our little ones because the imagine is one of the creepiest and real young children cannot comprehend what they are seeing is fake. There were some reports that children were having nightmares and were too scared to watch their every day kiddy videos.

Don't be afraid to ask your children if they have seen anything scary or ugly pop up in their videos. Our children need to be reassured that they are safe and we can give them the tools to understand what to do with these types of viral challenges. Often times we wait to see if our child will be impacted with the hopes that they won't ever come across something so horrible but we can start the conversations without fully disclosing the dangers. We also don't want children to think that the internet is completely safe and trusting because this may lead to poor decision making in the future. They need to learn how to assess and understand right from wrong, danger from safety, and how to recognize when something may be inappropriate.

Several years ago there was a very similar challenge called the Blue Whale Challenge that had the same concept as the Momo Challenge. It encouraged viewers to harm themselves and others while threatening to haunt or harm their family members if they did not follow through with the given instructions.

Here are some ways you can address such serious issues:
-Have you heard or seen the ______________ (blue whale or momo) Challenge?
-What do you know about it?
-(If appropriate) I am going to show you a photo of the Momo Challenge, it looks creepy but I need you to know that it is fake and will not harm you.

I also ask my children to let me know if there is any kind of threat. I let them know that even if they fear my safety it's ok, it's my job to protect them, not their job to protect me. Life can be scary and the internet gives unwanted access to our children's psyche at times. The least we can do is open up the conversation so our children will share with us what they are doing so if and when the time comes they will trust that they can talk to us.

A Peak Inside Teen Winter Weekend

noreply@blogger.com (Camp Reach for the Sky) — Wed, 27 Feb 2019 07:48:00 +0000

We all know Teen Winter Weekend (TWW) is supposed to be a weekend away from the parents but here you will be able to catch a glimpse inside what REALLY went down up at Raintree Ranch! It may have only been a couple days but these kiddos did some major work. From social media branding, values, smart goals, and how to effectively use a planner we had a weekend filled from beginning to end.

Friday night kicked off with dinner and almost immediately following the cabin was filled laughter, conversation, music, and sharing. One of the fan favorite card games Uno brought on intense competition, there was Seinfeld and Friends trivia battles, a Mancala dynasty was established and there were some new games added to the camp traditions. It was evident, as soon as we saw the teens step off the bus, they were ready to pick up their friendships right where they had left them last Feb. and it was beautiful and fun to watch. Campers and counselors alike played and mingled well into the freezing cold of the night before we had to make our way back to our own cabins.

Saturday morning we followed breakfast with two breakout sessions: 1. social media and branding and 2. identifying personal values.
Everyone was able to participate for over an hour in each session.

Yoda and Madrid took the lead on providing guidance on how to brand ourselves and maximize the use of our social media platforms to best serve us and what we are trying to accomplish. Part of this awareness was realizing that every conversation and interaction that we are having helps to mold our image and brand.

On the other side of the cabin J-Logg and Scrappy facilitated the process of establishing personal values. Each teen had to sift through over 80 values and identify their top 5. I know this might sound like an easy task because most of us are under the impression we are fully aware of what matters most. The truth is, many things matter a lot, so to narrow down and identify our top five can be extremely challenging. Everyone did a beautiful job of going through the process and really paid attention to what this process was bringing up for them. It is safe to say that all of the counselors were impressed with the depth of insight and ability the teens showed throughout these morning activities.

Some of the best stories were shared while sharing meals in community with one another; catching up on the latest events and sharing what we were excited for this year. Raintree also does a wonderful job of making delicious meals and accommodating everyone in attendance.

Our afternoon session took an in depth look at how to set up SMART goals. These are the same SMART goals we posted on the blog to kick off 2019. One of the best ways to check in with ourselves on our goals and progress is to use the SMART goal strategy. We took time to have each teen identify one goal they would like to work on and had them break it down step by step. Each camper shared within a small group what their goal was and many were eager to share their goals in big group as well. That cabin was filled with incredible ideas and brainstorming! There is nothing more beautiful than watching people talk about something the love and are passionate about.

We were also excited to announce that Passion Planner had donated a brand new, 2019 planner for each camper and counselor who was in attendance. Many campers wrote down the SMART goals steps directly into the planner so they would have an easy reference throughout the year. The planners are incredibly detailed and encourage campers and counselors to become organized and detailed oriented as they prepare to become effective and efficient leaders. This will come in handy as we are preparing to re-launch our Junior Council and will need our teens to remain well balanced as they pick up volunteering, camp, school, sports, work, and family time.

Overall the weekend was jam packed! Everyone spent the afternoon down at Camp Marston making candles, playing soccer, practicing their archery skills, and enjoying hot coco conversations. We ended the night with a movie and camp fire and woke up to beautiful snow that was just enough to make snowmen and have a snow ball fight. The Seany Foundation and all of our counselors are excited to see our campers grow and look forward to watching their ongoing development. Their talents are endless and we are thankful that YOU the parents share your loved ones with us. We are also grateful that your loved ones share parts of themselves with us year after year.

Until next year....

noreply@blogger.com (Camp Reach for the Sky) — Wed, 13 Feb 2019 15:30:00 +0000

How do we use social media to brand ourselves and leave our mark?

We all use social media differently but many of us are not mindful of the message we are trying to convey. Many times we repost a catchy meme, screen shot the funniest memes, pose “just because” the light was amazing, or we sort through the 1,000s of photos of our loving pets.

We hear more and more often “once you post it to the internet it’s there forever” which is true, even when we delete our accounts. It is much different growing up now in the digital age. Before the digital age we had the luxury of making our mistakes off camera. We didn’t have the pressure of needing to look camera ready all the time. We didn’t have a constant online highlight reel to compare our lives to. We also didn’t get left out of events and planning for not having social media accounts.

Growing up pre-digital age we also had the luxury of connection. Although we perfected the craft of writing letters, we still did most of our communication face to face. We used to pick up the phone just to chat and we spent our time playing outside rather than YouTubing videos of others who were playing outside.

Social media, however, can be a very beautiful tool if used properly. It allows us to stay easily connected with our loved ones around the world. We create beautiful digital photo albums that remind us of memories from years past. We also get to express ourselves and share our platforms with the world.

Here are 5 simple things to brand yourself through social media presence:

1. Be Authentic – Someone posed the question “what does beauty mean to you?” and my immediate response was AUTHENTICITY ! In a world where we can create fake profiles and highlight reels, be exactly who you say you are. It’s ok to not always be in the gym or have a face full of make up. It’s ok to be at home relaxing and not on some tropical island. Everyone says “Live your best life” which is true, live it. Just make sure that your best life one that brings genuine happiness. We tend to gravitate to those who are genuine because it’s rare. Your story is worth telling, flaws and all.

2. Be Mindful – It’s important to mindful of what we are posting. We see, too often, how many old photos, videos, and messages come back to haunt us. It’s important that we exercise self control and learn to regulate ourselves. Our ways of communicating through screens has made it entirely too easy to say whatever comes to mind in the heat of the moment without having to face the repercussions in the moment. Imagine if we had to wear the words we said on our body for everyone to read, would we still say the things we do?

3. Know Your Values – We have to know what we stand for and what we represent. We speak and do things every day but it’s rare that we are mindful of moving within our values. Typically, we become mindful in moments of conflict or decision making but don’t think about them much beyond that. It’s important to think before we post. Are we posting out of emotion? What message are we trying to send? Of my values, what values is this post inline with? If we can’t answer these questions, maybe we shouldn’t be posting.

4. Do not compare yourself to others – This goes back to the first point, be authentic. There is no one else on this earth that experiences the world like we do, so why would we try to create posts as though we do? We may have some shared experiences, but no two experiences are the same. Whether you travel the world or channel surf from the comfort of your own home, you are just as magical either way.

5. Be Informed – All of these points are important and all of them take work and being uninformed is never a reason to post on social media irresponsibly. We now have access to virtually any information we want right at the tips of our fingers. If you have access to social media, you have access to the internet which means you are only one google search away from becoming MORE informed. One of the biggest parts about being informed is also being accountable for the things we post, say, and do. It’s ok to make mistakes, as we are continuously evolving, but we need to be responsible.

Although your values or other aspects may evolve and change over time, if you stick to these 5 key components, you will be maximizing your brand. Our social media platforms should represent who we are, what we stand for, and have purpose. We all represent something, make your platforms work for you and make your statement, LOUD and bold!

5 Things to Holistic Health

noreply@blogger.com (Camp Reach for the Sky) — Wed, 30 Jan 2019 02:33:00 +0000

This past weekend The Seany Foundation hosted their first ever Get Well Soon event which focused on the holistic wellness of the mind, body and soul. As patients, as caregivers and as everyday human beings we are pushed to our limits physically, mentally, spiritually and emotionally. I cannot stress the importance of being able to treat every aspect of ourselves to truly be well. Living in a time and society that promotes busyness and multitasking, it can be extremely difficult to slow down and take some time for yourself. Here are 5 things you can do/look into TODAY to help put yourself and your wellness first!

1.Yoga does a body good!

Yoga is more than increasing flexibility and engaging in an active exercise. Yoga works to help us decrease anxiety while promoting mental wellness. According to Healthline.com, which cites many incredible articles, yoga has also been linked to promoting a healthy heart, aiding in migraine relief, promotes healthy digestion and much more. In my experience many people will say “but I’m not a yogi” or “but I’m not flexible like that”, which may be true TODAY but we all start somewhere. There are many tools and pose modifications to aid in making yoga suitable for just about anyone!

2. Essential Oils

There are many essential oils out there that can benefit a variety of things. During our Get Well Soon retreat we had the amazing Heather Bickel Stevenson, RN, BSN, Soul Nurse, from DoTerra Essential Oils join us by leading a workshop. She took time working with each participant to customize which oils were most suitable for them by scanning to identify key areas of focus.

Heather was able to combine her own testimony, medical background and essential oil training to discuss and address the attendees needs and questions pertaining to whatever issues they were dealing with in their own lives. Naturally, cancer was a focal point of the conversation but there were other conditions discussed as well including overall health, migraines, dietary restrictions and allergies.

3. Nutrition is more than calories or a label.

It seems like every year we are hearing about new fad diets or the latest adjustments to the food pyramid. Sometimes the information we receive can be overwhelming than it is helpful. One of the most impactful statements I took from our nutritional guide was when we shop, we need to decide are we buying FOOD or a Food Like Substance? We have become so accustomed to counting calories and reading the nutritional labels that we forget to look at the actual ingredients.

Yes, it is important to be active but it is even more important to allow food to be our medicine. One important take away from this workshop was the discussion medicine. When we are prescribed medication, we know we need to take 2 tablets, every 8 hours, for 10 days and we remain committed to that prescription. Food should be looked at the same way, with the same commitment. True food, not food like substances, are not only fuel and a source of energy, but is actually medicine to our body!

4. Acupuncture and Chiropractic

Acupuncture is a form of traditional Chinese medicine that uses a very thin needle which is inserted at pressure points, traditionally, to relief pain. More recently it has also been used as one component of holistic wellness and stress relief. Although participants had the opportunity to try acupuncture for free, I saw many of them watch and observe with much hesitance. When asked about their hesitation, without failure, participants would look at me clinched fist and wide eyed and saying something along the lines of “with needles??” as though we were offering a free torturing session. Don’t get me wrong, needles and acupuncture, like anything else, isn’t for everyone. We made it a point to explain that the needles used for acupuncture are extremely thin and if you tapped your arm (go ahead and give yourself a quick tap!), is more significant then the needle.

Additionally, we a had Dr. Paul Peterson, DC, DACNB who discussed chiropractic stretching and body work. Participants were able to ask about various aliments and chronic pain. They were also given a chance to participate in a free demonstration and experience a different form of healing.

5. Sound Therapy/Sound Healing

Sound therapy, which is also referred to as sound healing is either used by itself or can often be used in combination with yoga. Although many different instruments can be used, most commonly you will find the use of sound bowls (alchemy, frosted or Tibetan), didgeridoos, gongs, chimes, drums and rattles. Similar to yoga, the benefits are said decrease anxiety, promote overall wellness and decrease stress levels.

During the Get Well Soon event we were able to close out the retreat with a sound healing session. As the day came to a close everyone came out feeling motivated, relaxed, informed and connected. Connected with more with one self as well as more connected with those around them.

At The Seany Foundation we understand how challenging life can get when navigating a diagnosis, a child with needs, doctor visits, treatments, family, work and all our children. This event was a 4-hour local retreat that was hopefully either a continuation of self-care already being done or the start of something new. Although we are most widely known for our famous Camp Reach For the Sky camps, we work hard to build a community that is present all year long. Part of that community is learning, together, about health, wellness, nutrition and holistic medicine. This holistic approach is not only for the Seany Foundation community, but for everyone!

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Podcast:
1/23 Recap: 8th Episode: Meet Brittany and Ashton Harvey, Founders of Yellow Threads Company! Kahila does a beautiful job of diving into their passion that brought their vision to life. Their clothing line provides patients who need to have easy port access a unique, cute and stylish fashion with discretion. Check them out using one of the various, easy to use platforms, by searching "Cancer the Easy Life":
Android: Podcast Player (purple icon)
iPhone: Podcast App (purple icon)
Soundcloud

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Upcoming Events:
2/6 Podcast
2/15-17: Teen Winter Weekend (register now: http://www.theseanyfoundation.org/camp/programs/)

Get Well Soon

noreply@blogger.com (Camp Reach for the Sky) — Wed, 16 Jan 2019 06:36:00 +0000

As many of you may have heard, The Seany Foundation is hosting their first ever wellness retreat on Saturday Jan. 26^th! Come join us at the GORGEOUS Soledad Club from 11am-3pm.

We understand that life gets tough and many times that means that we put ourselves, as parents, and our needs on the backburner. This also means that self care and mental wellness become a distant conversation that we hope we can do on that ambiguous “one day”. When working with others I always use the airplane analogy. If you have ever flown on a plane with a child, I am sure you are aware that they instruct you, in the event of cabin air pressure dropping you must first place your air mask on before helping your kiddo.

This to me felt incredibly backwards because as a parent, the well being of my child, naturally came first. Now I have learned that I cannot help my kiddos if I am not first taking care of myself.

This ½ day retreat is an opportunity for you to put self care on the top of your priority list. We will be providing time for reflection, guided gentle yoga, light meditation and self care techniques as we promote “Reflection, releasing, relaxing and restoration”.

This event is open to the community and we welcome everyone to bring your loved ones to join you in a day of wellness and pampering. We will have some of the best in San Diego leading each session of the event including: yoga with former ROC Camper Kristen Gascon, essential oil workshop with Heather Bickel Stevenson and body work with Dr. Paul Peterson.

Although setting a day aside for self care may seem counter productive to an already over busy schedule, the truth is that making time for self care actually improves the ability to tackle our goals while maintaining a sense of balance.

Tickets are available but are running out FAST! Visit the link below to secure spot and don’t forget to bring your yoga mats and water bottle! Light snacks and refreshments will also be served along with complimentary swag bags filled with goodies you won’t want to miss!

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Podcast:
1/9 Recap: 7th Episode: Dedicated to our two angels that we lost: Kimi and Kalani. Sending our condolences and honoring their legacy. Kahila also addresses understanding what to expect in a time of grief. Check them out using one of the various, easy to use platforms, by searching "Cancer the Easy Life":
Android: Podcast Player (purple icon)
iPhone: Podcast App (purple icon)
Soundcloud

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Upcoming Events:
1/23 Podcast
1/26 Get Well Soon Self Care Event (purchase tickets online: The Seany Foundation)
Ongiong: 35 & Thrive Event: Celebrate 35 years by raising funds for the 2019 CARES initiative and Seany's CR4TS
2/15-17: Teen Winter Weekend (register now: http://www.theseanyfoundation.org/camp/programs/)

noreply@blogger.com (Camp Reach for the Sky) — Thu, 10 Jan 2019 18:12:00 +0000

Life is precious. This is an understatement when we think about our delicate community here at TSF. The reality of loss and grief in our community haunts us often. As we expand the CARES Program, we recognize that supporting our community during the delicate time of loss is something that is very important to every single one of us here at TSF.

As a result, we would like to provide support in honoring the memory of your loved one.

Tribute to life will honor and celebrate the life of the individual who has passed on. We will provide a safe space for families, campers, camp counselors, TSF staff, and any volunteers who would like to join us in honoring the individuals’ memory through shared stories, tears, and laughter.

The loss of a loved one is the most devastating and stressful event in one’s life which may trigger emotional crisis. In order to reduce the risk of a crisis know the most common experiences of grief: numbness; loneliness and emptiness; anger and resentment; confusion; deep and ongoing sadness; and a loss of interest in things that used to bring pleasure.

There’s no one size fits all period of grief. Everyone has their own timeline for grief. The process of grief is not a race. It does not proceed in an orderly, linear fashion. It’s very sacred; and every individual must experience it based on their own terms, values, and needs. However, setting an intention to heal, and giving yourself permission to start on the healing journey is the most important part of the healing process.

Allow the flow of tears. Allow the uncontrollable emotional meltdowns. Allow the laughter from memories. Allow others to pick you up when you feel like you have nothing left in you. Allow love.

Remember, you are grieving because you loved. You feel the depths of sorrow because you have lost someone you cherished. You will never stop loving them; they will remain in your heart for the rest of your life.

You have a tribe in us, The Seany Foundation.

With love,

Kahila Hedayatzadeh, M.A.

5 Easy Steps to Make Your New Year’s Resolutions A Success!

noreply@blogger.com (Camp Reach for the Sky) — Wed, 02 Jan 2019 04:10:00 +0000

Every year millions of people across the globe make a verbal commitment to do things differently, or better, in the new year. These “things” are commonly known as our New Year’s resolutions. The problem is that we don’t typically put ourselves in a position to actually execute our goals effectively. So here we will talk about 5 easy steps to turn resolutions into results by using some real-life examples.

As we discuss these 5 steps I will be using two resolutions: 1. Objective: Losing weight and 2. Subjective: How to be happier. I do this with the intention of being able to articulate the abstract because sometimes, when we can’t necessarily “see” something we tend to become discouraged a little more often and a little more quickly.

1. Be Specific. Losing weight is specific, yet vague. How much do you want to lose? Is there a size you would like to fit into? Is there an amount you want to lose per month? An overall amount you would like to lose?

Part of being specific is knowing yourself and knowing what you respond best to. If you are motivated to fit into your favorite dress that’s been sitting in the back of the closet for the last ten years then make that your goal. If you are motivated by seeing the physical number drop on the scale then make that your goal.

What specific looks like for weight loss: I want to hike 1x a week, play softball 1x a week, and train 3x a week. I like numbers and check lists BUT I do not want to become obsessed with a scale so I turn my numbers and check list into specific actions.

Becoming happier is much more subjective, so first you have to define for yourself what happiness is to YOU. This is YOUR goal so you have to define it for yourself. Does happiness mean doing more things? Smiling more? Getting out of bed more? Watching TV less? What does happiness mean to you?

It’s important to define things for yourself so that we can then talk about the next steps. Be flexible with yourselves and give yourself permission to change the way you define things throughout the year if you need to make some adjustments.

What specific looks like for happiness: I am pretty in touch with my mood and my thoughts so I can measure happiness by assessing my thought process. I want to continue working on not taking things personally and living in the moment which ultimately results in me being happier.

2. Make Your Goals Measurable. Being specific allows us to then break our goals down in a way that we can measure our actions.

Losing weight: This is easy. I specified how often I wanted to engage in specific activities so I can measure the outcomes by looking at whether or not I hit these numbers.

Happiness: I can track the times I am taking things personally. I can track when I am not living in the moment. One fun way to track this is by using a mood chart. A couple things happen when we use a visual for something as subjective as happiness: 1. We become more mindful of how we’re feeling and 2. We begin to put words to our moods and articulate how we are feeling, which in turn helps us move through the tougher moods. You can get as creative as you want with these trackers. (FYI: You can use this style of tracking for sleep, studying, calorie intake, etc)

3. Make your goals Achievable! The worst thing we could do is to set ourselves up for failure by setting unrealistic goals.

Losing Weight: Setting a goal to lose 100 pounds in two months isn’t realistic, but losing 5-7 pounds in two months is much more manageable. It’s important to know yourself. It’s better to set the goal of losing 5-7 pounds and actually losing 10 compared to setting the goal of losing 10 pounds and only losing 5. Achievable also has to be sustainable otherwise you’ll either burn out or give up.

Happiness: Saying I’m going to be happy everyday isn’t necessarily achievable. I would like to be happy at least 5 out of the 7 days of the week though and to me that’s realistic. If only 2 days a week is realistic then make that your goal and maybe by the end of the year that number will go from 2 days a week to 4 days a week. Again I like working with numbers so even in the worst of times I would like to be happy at least 25% of the time whether that means 6 hours a day or 1 week a month.

4. Make sure your goals are Relevant. If your goals are not relevant it will be easy to dismiss them or put them aside for things that carry more relevance.

Losing weight: If you are already in great shape and health then maybe losing weight isn’t relevant. Or if you are dealing with a specific concern: lack of activity, pre-diabetic, etc. then consider focusing on not just “weight loss” but becoming more active or eating healthier to reverse a prediabetic diagnosis. Sometimes our goals don’t need an explanation on why they are relevant, just be sure that you know why this is important and relevant to you.

Happiness: Unless you are already happy a high majority of the time, focusing on increasing your happiness has many health benefits, meaning, it will remain relevant!

5. Resolutions should be Time Based. This is similar to measurable. The intention is that we want to see results in a timely manner. Most people, when we don’t see results in a timely manner we get discouraged and give up.

Losing Weight: If the overall goal is to lose 100 pounds that’s great, but remembering that a “timely manner” also has to be achievable. This is where breaking down the pounds by months becomes helpful. Again, I work well with numbers. If I believe losing 100 pounds in a year is doable, I need to see what the average weight loss per month would be. 8.33 pounds per month for 12 months would allow me to hit that goal. If 8.33 pounds per month sounds reasonable then 12 months would be considered a timely manner. If, however, 8.33 pounds per month seems like a lot, then maybe 18 months becomes timelier.

This same idea also works in reverse. If we are setting goals that are not timely because they will take too long, we would want to break down the overall goal into something smaller to make it more realistic. A good example of this is when I was working with someone who wanted to buy a house in San Diego by next year but was working a minimum wage job and was unable to save more than a couple hundred dollars a month. This person then had 3 options: 1. Find an exceptionally higher paying job, 2. Extend the timeline from trying to do it in one year to a 5-7-year plan or 3. Consider relocating to a place outside of San Diego that is more affordable for their price range. The most immediate goal, would be to find a better paying job, even though the end goal is still to buy the house, the more realistic goal is to increase their income. So you can use this same concept if you find yourself with a resolution that might be a bit larger than what is realistic to work with at the moment.

Happiness: Of course, we want to see immediate results with happiness. The tough part is that we need to be patient and work on implementing new habits that allow happiness to flow more abundantly for us. We can talk about different strategies for increasing happiness in a separate blog, but for the purposes of establishing a goal that is timely we shouldn’t have a problem with establishing happiness in a timely manner. I have yet to meet someone who consciously and purposefully remains unhappy.

If ever you forget these 5 easy steps, you can google SMART Goals, click on images and find 1,000 friendly reminders to help you get back on track! And remember, it’s never too late or too early to re-evaluate and re-establish your goals! It’s ok to make adjustments, especially if something isn’t working or if you found something that is more effective!

Additional resources: My favorite resource is my Passion Planner that allows room on a semi-annually, monthly AND weekly basis to write down my goals and stay on track. Additionally, I keep a white board in my room that allows me to have easy access to writing down things that come to mind. Don’t be afraid to use social media as a resource also, I’m pretty sure there is a #Hashtag for that! And lastly, don't forget to have fun with it. Use color, make vision boards, join groups of like minded people and share even your smallest victories with your friends and family!

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Podcast:
12/26 Recap: Kahila's interview with COO, Robby Medina and Director of Development, Bernard Mauricia discuss the experiences and 2018 recap as well as all the exciting upcoming events taking place in 2019. Check them out using one of the various, easy to use platforms, by searching "Cancer the Easy Life":
Android: Podcast Player (purple icon)
iPhone: Podcast App (purple icon)
Soundcloud

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Upcoming Events:
1/9 Podcast
1/26 Get Well Soon Self Care Event (purchase tickets online: The Seany Foundation)
Ongiong: 35 & Thrive Event: Celebrate 35 years by raising funds for the 2019 CARES initiative and Seany's CR4TS
2/15-17: Teen Winter Weekend (register now: http://www.theseanyfoundation.org/camp/programs/)

Tis the Season

noreply@blogger.com (Camp Reach for the Sky) — Wed, 19 Dec 2018 19:09:00 +0000

Tis the season for celebrating and carols, hot chocolate and ugly sweaters, traditions and loved ones. Tis the season for missing our loved ones and stressing over finances, standing in long lines and trying to do things perfectly. Tis the Season!

While the end of November through the New Years tends to be a favorite time of the year for many people, especially our kiddos, the truth is that this time of the year can also be thee most difficult. During this time, I don’t find many “neutral” people. It seems as though people either absolutely love this time of the year or they are dreadful for this time to come.

If you are one of the people who love this time of the year, I can bet you love getting your favorite hot cocoas and apple cider. You probably plan which Christmas lights you are going to go see. Maybe you can’t wait to play Dreidel with your loved ones or break bread with your community on the first day of Kwanzaa. My point is, if this is your favorite time of the year, then you have already mapped out what December looks like. For others though, these are the exact same reasons this time of the year becomes so challenging.

For some of us the holiday season reminds us when our loved ones have passed, puts our family strains under a microscope and magnifies the broken pieces we typically try to keep swept under the rug. So how do we manage when this season becomes thee most difficult for us?

Here are a few friendly tips on how to manage different types of stresses during the holidays.

First take a moment to acknowledge where the stress is coming from. Is it financial? Missing a loved one? Unrealistic expectations? See if you can identify where the stress is coming from so you can then properly address how to manage it.

Time Demands: Don't be afraid to say no! We might feel the pressure to attend every holiday gathering but the truth is that we are not obligated to attend. We have to learn what is realistic and we have to honor our own sanity. There are times we have to go to a gathering that we aren't too particularly fond of, but that is different from over-committing ourselves.

Be Honest: Part of understanding boundaries, saying no and managing time demands is to be honest. Be honest with yourself as well as those around you. If you need to stay in and skip the ugly Christmas sweater party, then stay home and honor those limits. If you aren't in a place to afford gifting everyone then don't break yourself trying to make it happen. If you are needing something from someone, like support, understanding, or help work on using your voice.

Financial Stress: This is a big one! I see so many friends working overtime to afford that "perfect" gift or they think they have to spend a certain dollar amount as though the price tag somehow translates to amount of love. It's ok to not afford extravagant things and trust me when it comes to the kiddos, they'll adjust! I have told my children I will not purchase ANY video games for them and I tell them that I would much rather do things with them then buy things for them and they GET IT! They're also savvy when they want something. They ask everyone for gift cards to the same store so they can put their resources together and buy what they want. They also learn how to work together in the process. So don't worry about that part. We have actually done this for Disneyland trips, game consoles, actual games and much more! Trust me, loved ones will remember your presence much more than your presents!

Unrealistic Expectations: This ties closely into what I have already mentioned. Be honest about what is doable and not doable. Buying everyone $100 gifts may not be realistic, so don't break yourself trying to do so. If you are over booked, then unbook (if that's even a word) yourself a little bit. If you need to host a holiday this year but need help, ask for help. If you can't do something then stop saying yes! I know I may make this sound overly simplified. I don't address the "BUT" that comes after setting a boundary (that's another blog all by itself) but it is necessary for your mental health and well being.

Missing a Loved one: This one is probably thee toughest one because it's out of your control. Time demands, finances and setting boundaries are something we can work towards and become better at but we can't bring loved ones back, so how do we celebrate knowing they can't be there? This one is also the most personal one because everyone mourns and celebrates differently. First, don't be too hard on yourself for having feelings even if the passing was 60 years ago. Next, find ways to honor your loved one, maybe with their favorite holiday goodies, a Christmas ornament, light a candle for them or watch their favorite movie. Also, if feelings come up, let them. Feelings don't last forever and typically when we try to suppress them we end up expressing them in other ways that may not be so helpful.

The important part is to honor where you are at while honoring those who are present. If there are new traditions you want to create, go for it! If there are other traditions you want to hold onto, then hold onto those. It's also important to be mindful that not everyone grieves the same way and may feel differently about how to honor your loved one that has passed. If it was someone in the immediate household, it might mean that the family makes household decisions together.

And remember, don't be too hard on yourself. The holidays and grief are tough on their own so it only makes sense that it will be tough when you put these two things together. Be gentle, take time for yourself and honor your feelings. It's tough but remember that no emotions are permanent.

Unable to see family: Although nothing can replace physically being with family, the great news is that you are currently living in a digital world! This means you don't have to rely on snail mail to communicate during the holidays. You have Facetime, Instagram, Twitter, SnapChat, Facebook or even Skype to join loved ones virtually. Plan something nice for yourself, go somewhere fun even if its just the movie theater. All we can do is our best and sometimes it falls short of our hopes and dreams but the truth is we don't have control over much in our life outside of our attitude. So all we can do is make the best of it and hope that maybe next year it will be different.

Thrivership

noreply@blogger.com (Camp Reach for the Sky) — Thu, 06 Dec 2018 03:04:00 +0000

On November 17th, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS) partnered with The Seany Foundation’s (TSF) CARES Initiative to host the first ever Thrivership Symposium at Marina Village here in San Diego. This was a free educational program on navigating life after a childhood cancer diagnosis. This event was open to patients, family members, care givers healthcare professionals as well as school personnel.

We had some amazing vendors offering some delicious and healthy options as well as guest speakers and panels to not only provide informative resources but to also answer any questions. Although it is impossible to capture everything in one blog, we will highlight our speakers and topics, provide information a brief overview of the handouts and include any potential helpful links. Remember if any of the topics you see mentioned in this blog are something you would like to know more about please do not hesitate to reach out to us via comments on this blog, through The Seany Foundation website (www.theseanyfoundation.org) or through social media such as Facebook or Instagram @TheSeanyFoundation.

Topics	Speakers	Credentials
Navigating Life After Cancer	Amy Schneider	BSN, RN, CHPON (Rady Children’s Hospital)
	Jeannie Marie Spies	MSN, RN, PNP (Rady Children’s Hospital)
Panel Discussion	Robby Medina	COO TSF & Childhood Cancer Survivor
Making Healthy Living Work in Every Day Life	Justin Willford	PhD, MaxLove Project, UC Irvine
	Audra DiPadova	Chief Hope Officer, MaxLove Project, UC Irvine
Going Back to School	Noemi Villegas	Ed.D, SD Unified School District- Program Manager, Counseling and Guidance
Panel Discussion	Hillary Whelan	Parent, LLS CARES Committee Co-Chair
	Weston Lord	Childhood Cancer Survivor

As the adults tuned into the information sessions and discussions their children got to spend the day in the children’s room where they made arts and crafts, hung out and watched movies. It was a beautiful opportunity for everyone in the family to attend and get something out of the day!

Additional Resources:

Rady’s Children’s Hospital: www.rchsd.org a non-profit, 524 bed pediatric-care facility dedicated to excellence in care, research and teaching.

MaxLove Project: www.maxloveproject.org Childhood cancer survivors face a lifetime of serious, life threatening health risks. We aim to change the odds with culinary medicine and evidence-based wellness strategies for the whole family.

Nasha Winters, Optimal Terrain www.OptimalTerrainConsulting.com

Miriam Kalamian www.dietarytherapies.com

Kahila www.MeetKahila.com CARES Contributor on Facebook: Meet Kahila

The Holistic Psychologist www.YourHolisticPsychologist.com on Facebook: Your Holistic Psychologist

Kathi Kemper Multiple great books on caregiving

Carsyn Neille Foundation www.CarsynNeilleFoundation.org

Vendors:

www.KetoDessertCompany.com

www.InstaHealthyUsa.org

www.EatMarketPlace.com

Mental Health Urgent Care and Outpatient Hospitals:

Rady Children’s Behavioral Urgent Care 858-966-5484

Sharp Healthcare Behavioral Health Outpatient Program: 858-836-8309

Scripps Mercy Behavioral Health Services: 619-260-7066

Hotlines:

San Diego Crisis Hotline: 888-724-7240

Youth Helpline Your Life Your Voice: 800-448-3000

Teen Line Teen-to-Teen hotline: 800-852-8336

National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI): 800-523-5933

Find a therapist/psychologist by searching within your insurance and zip code: www.pscyhologytoday.com or at www.211sandiego.org (dial 2-1-1)

But Words Will Never Hurt Me.....

noreply@blogger.com (Camp Reach for the Sky) — Wed, 07 Nov 2018 23:30:00 +0000

Ok, so the old saying "Sticks and stones will break my bones but words will never hurt me" can be quite deceiving. Words have a tendency to stick around longer than any broken bone and they also seem to hurt much more than a broken also. So how do we even begin to deal with the impact of the words and actions of others, especially those pesky little boogers...I mean bullies!

Here I have taken a holistic approach on how to address bullying. Journey with me, if you will, to take a look at how to prevent it, how to address it, how to buffer our children from it, the underlying reasons, a restorative justice approach and why this is a community issue.

How To Prevent

The tough part is that we cannot control what other kiddos say or do. The good news is that we can control how we respond. I believe one of the single most important things we can do is expose our children to diverse experiences and talk to them about it. Kids are smart and many times we hold back on conversations because we think they won't understand. I find this to be ironic though because one of the first things we tell our kids when they are born is how much we love them even though we KNOW they have no concept or understanding of language. We just trust that they'll feel our love for them and one day they'll understand. Use this same logic and apply it to anything. I have heard kiddos talk to one another about their diagnoses in terms far more sophisticated than anything I could understand and that is because they are sponges. They will learn quickly and they will understand.

For example: I grew up playing baseball, like so many other kiddos, and one day while I was waiting for my game time to start I went to one of the other fields to watch a game. I happened to be watching the challenger division which was a team of kiddos with varying disabilities. Some kiddos were in wheel chairs, others were developmentally delayed..you name it. I was invited to play and without hesitation I went. I was only 7 or 8 at the time and I never turned down an opportunity to play ball. I quickly adapted to the level of play and learned how to communicate with my deaf teammate, learned when to step in and help out my teammate with a wheel chair, and I even learned triggers for one of my other teammates who would sometimes have melt downs.

My point is this, when we are exposed to diversity as a kiddo we learn how to be inclusive and see the human in one another. There was no pointing and laughing and there was no avoiding anyone because I didn't understand. It's not often that we have classmates or close buddies that has been diagnosed with cancer, so when it does happen it is more of a foreign concept. As one person we never represent an entire community but we should recognize that as one person we do have the ability to reach out and ask for help from our community resources like The Seany Foundation. We are here to help step in and provide understanding, educational resources and tools, but we also need to make sure we are giving our children diverse experiences.

How To Address

There are many reasons why bullying can happen and we all have our own ideas on how to address it. Of course, my first instinct is to jump in and handle things to protect my kiddo or loved one, but lets be real...that is rarely the best option...although tempting.

First, know who your allies, gatekeepers and champions are. We'll use school as an example. The gatekeepers can be administrators, counselors, teachers, etc; the allies could be our kiddo's buddies or fellow parents; and the champions are the ones who will advocate for the gatekeepers to implement change.

Do NOT be afraid to ask for the bullying to be addressed head on, even if that means incorporating new policies, training or assemblies. Now I know what you might be thinking, this all sounds like a lot to take on when you're just trying to create a sense of normalcy. You're right but YOU don't have to be the one to coordinate. This is where our allies, champions and community resources come into action. There are so many programs that support the anti-bullying movement. My guess is that, if your child is experiencing bullying, there are other kiddos dealing with the same issue.

How To Buffer

In addition to providing our kiddos with diverse experiences it is also important to help our kiddos build a buffer. The biggest way to do this is to build a strong sense of self from a young age. In doing this, as parents, we also need to check ourselves and understand what norms and expectations we buy into and project onto our kiddos.

Again, I will use myself as an example. As a kiddo I always had a sense of fashion, not high fashion but I always had to coordinate my colors and brands in my own little athletic stylish twist. Well...let's just say, my son is nothing like me. While most kids have mismatch days during spirit week, my child does this every day, no matter the occasion. It would drive me absolutely CRAZY! We literally discussed his fashion sense during a therapy session because I worried people would think I didn't care for him properly. Needless to say, I have let that issue go....I get it, it's only clothes. In the bigger picture I realized I was trying to force my kiddo to conform to both my own and society's ideas of what was "appropriate" attire when what my baby needed was a mother who would allow him the space to be himself freely. Now I compliment him and tell him how amazing he is for expressing himself how ever he sees fit. I realize that, although his uniqueness could leave him open to be made fun of, it was more important that I nurture his confidence so that he can have a buffer to anything coming his way.

I also get that this is a very different example than a kiddo who is being bullied because of the impact of treatment. My son could very easily change the way he dresses but we can't stop the impact that treatment has on our kiddos. We can, however, still create that buffer. One thing I will say over and over again is that we all long for three things 1) to be liked 2) to be accepted and 3) to be understood. Not every day will be a good day but when we are able to embrace and celebrate our kiddos for everything they are and everything they aren't we begin to build a buffer for them. As adults we often consider ourselves to be the educated ones who need to teach our children but I have found that the truth is quite opposite. Our kiddos are themselves, freely, until adults begin teaching them to try and fit into these imaginary boxes that are riddled with norms and expectations. When we do this we begin to break down their buffer.

The Underlying Reasons

It is just as important to understand why bullying happens as it is to address it. I have found that many times bullying occurs because the kiddo, or "bully" themselves have experienced bullying in some form. This might come from an older sibling, cousin, parent, classmate, teammate, etc. I strongly believe if we only address the bully for their negative behaviors we miss out on helping a kiddo who most likely needs some relief as well. This also means that if we don't address the underlying issue, we are only addressing half of the problem. This is why I will talk about why bullying is a community issue rather than just an individual or family concern.

Another issue might be that the kiddo engaging in bullying behaviors gets the attention they seek. I remember my mom telling me "not all attention is good attention" but for some people this doesn't hold true. Maybe they enjoy making people laugh, even if it is at another person's expense. I find myself referring to kiddos throughout this blog, but truthfully, we see this as adults as well. We often refer to this as scapegoating. Scapegoating is another issue that can be addressed, but not today. The important part of this is making sure that we are encouraging positive interaction and positive attention. We need to teach our kiddos that it is not funny to pick on one another for our differences and encourage them to step up and speak out when they see it happening. Many times, when we realize what we are doing isn't funny or ok, we change our actions because ultimately we want to liked, acceptance and understood.....which is opposite of bullying.

Restorative Justice

This is huge with any conflict resolution. The term "restorative justice" has been a new trendy topic, but how many of us actually know what it means? Restorative justice is a form of conflict resolution that allows both parties to come together and have BOTH parties be active participants in the healing process. Traditionally we have a punitive process which means if our kiddo is being bullied, we report it to the school, the school then handles it and the kiddo who was bullied is left out of the process while the kiddo who did the bullying receives punishment and has now gotten in "trouble". Restorative justice seeks to provide healing to both parties in an inclusive process.

How would that look with bullying? Simple, sort of. The kiddo who has been bullied gets to address their bully and learn to use their voice, advocate for themselves and be an active participant in the conclusion of what too place and ultimately happened TO THEM. Additionally, the one engaging in bullying behavior gains a deeper understanding of their actions, how it impacted the other party and is reminded that they are not just getting in trouble. Yes there are natural consequences for our actions but now they are also given the opportunity to learn how to become accountable for their actions.

As I mentioned previously, we all seek to be liked, accepted and understood, but we also want to be right (vs. wrong), good (vs. bad) and to be ok (vs. not ok). Restorative justice takes these judgements out and allows for both parties to move towards healing. How we perceive ourselves is typically how we act and treat others. We need to be reminded that even when we make poor decisions we can still be a good person and we can still be ok. We want to teach them how to genuinely connect with one another and understand that how we act can really have an impact. We want to take out the good/bad and right/wrong mentalities.

Community Issue

The reason I say it is a community issue is because, as humans, especially little humans trying to figure out what is means to be a human, we follow trends, we pick up on social cues and tend to do/say things that help us find a sense of belonging. If a kiddo is engaging in acts of bullying and they themselves have not experienced bullying, my guess would be that their actions are somehow being encouraged OR at least NOT being discouraged. This means that the bullying is now a reflection of the greater community. We also need to be aware of the bystander affect. We need to make sure we aren't waiting for someone else to speak up. WE can be that someone. We dont want to turn a blind eye to it either. I so often hear "that's not my problem" and even though it might be true for the moment, in the bigger picture it is all of our problem. Believe it or not, it is actually possible to hold one another accountable in a gentle, loving manner. So please, if you see it, at school, at camp, in the workplace, on the ball field...WHERE EVER, find a safe way to address it. What happens to our kiddos impacts their happiness, their adulthood which impacts future generations and our community as a whole.

__________________________________________________
Podcast:
10/31 Recap: Check out the latest podcast where Kahila interviews TSF's COO Robby Medina. Robby shares parts of his story, thoughts and insights on going through treatment as a kiddo and how it still impacts him today! Check out the podcast using one of the various, easy to use platforms, by searching "Cancer the Easy Life":
Android: Podcast Player (purple icon)
iPhone: Podcast App (purple icon)
Soundcloud

__________________________________________________

Upcoming Events:
11/14 Podcast
11/15 Seany Movie Night (purchase tickets online: The Seany Foundation)
11/17 Childhood Cancer Thrivership Symposium (Registration required: The Seany Foundation)

What Happens Now?

noreply@blogger.com (Camp Reach for the Sky) — Thu, 25 Oct 2018 00:02:00 +0000

You just got news of a new promotion, a bundle of joy on the way, an engagement, graduation…or….a diagnosis. None of these things mentioned are synonymous with death in the traditional sense of the word, BUT all of these events (plus many more) can definitely have us experiencing the 5 stages of grief. I know what you might be thinking “why would I be experiencing grief if no one has died?” or maybe you even re-read the first sentence again and thought to yourself “why would I be experiencing grief with a promotion, engagement or something as magical as the announcement of a child?”. The answer is simple: grief is not just the feelings associated with death. Grief is something we experience with change, regardless of the excitement or sadness associated with the event. Grief is also complex, it is what we experience when we are facing change.

So what exactly do these stages look like and what can we expect? We’ll get to that in just a moment, first, I want to be sure to explain that these stages are in no particular order. These stages are also fluid, meaning, we can feel them in any particular order, we can move through stages and go back to feeling a stage we may have previously worked through. There is no “set of rules” when it comes to change.

Denial: We all have our own ideas of what is supposed to happen…or not happen in life, so when the unexpected happens it is very possible that our initial reaction is shock or denial. Denial can be subtle, like when a friend does something shocking and we keep saying “there’s no way THEY could do that to me”. It can also be a bit more extreme. I remember when a long-time family friend passed away a couple years ago, I went back to the house to visit after her services, her mom came to talk to me and began asking me if I could hang around a little longer because she was in the hospital and would be coming home soon. Although I new she would never be coming home again, I also knew that her mom was in shock, so I gave her a big hug and told her I would wait around a little longer. Some people would also refer to this stage as Shock.

Anger: I have found anger to be the most “acceptable” form of grief. The reason I say acceptable is not because I agree or disagree with any of the stages, but more so, because anger seems to be an emotion that many people are familiar with. For some of us anger has also become one of the most commonly expressed emotions. Why is that? Simple, we learn from an early age that anger is “normal”, “acceptable” and healthy to express if done correctly. If you look at the other stages Denial, Depression and Bargaining, those are not emotions that are encouraged or explored from childhood. I don’t think I have to go into depth about anger or what it looks like.

What I would like to say about it is that it is completely normal! Although it may bring discomfort or bring out a side of us we don’t particularly enjoy, the truth is that anger gives us a lot of good information. Why are we angry? What do we need? What do we miss? Who are we angry AT? Most of the time the things we are most angry about or at are the things we have the least amount of control of. Which makes sense, this is typical in nearly every setting and is enhanced when we are experiencing grief.

One point I always try to make with Anger is to try and re-evaluate our relationship with it. Although it is nice to feel happy all the time, I believe, that we need to also learn to befriend anger. I used to think that Anger was a “negative” emotion but more recently I stepped away from the idea that emotions are either positive or negative because emotions are what they are and nothing more. They are simply indicators of where we are emotionally and give us information as to what work needs to be done. But I could talk about anger all day because anger is a secondary emotion which means it is protecting us from having to feel the primary emotion.

Depression: Many people have experienced depression, whether it was associated with grief or not. Depression is also a big word that scares many people but I would like to tell you, it’s not so scary, it just has a bad reputation, similar to Anger. I also think there is a huge fear that if we are experiencing depression that we will get stuck there and next thing you know we are clinically depressed and somehow helpless.

Is it true that a person can become clinically depressed? Absolutely. When we experience happiness we never look in the mirror and judge our smile and start asking ourselves why we’re so happy or how long will it last, we simply enjoy it and understand that, like every other emotion, it will leave and eventually come back around again. So why do we treat depression differently? Another thing I have learned is that, as humans, we are horrible at suppressing emotions. We might think we have become clever and mastered wearing a “mask” but usually it’s not so true, it tends to leak out in other ways.

So, what is the trick?

-Recognize when your emotions are beginning to shift.

-Allow the emotions to come and go, like the waves in the ocean. Some will be higher than others, but all waves will soon crash.

-Listen to how to you talk to yourself during these times. We never say “MY happiness” we just say “I feel happy”. For some reason when depression comes knocking we say “MY depression” as though it was a long-lost friend that came to visit and we’re unsure if they’ll ever leave the house again.

-Understand triggers. It might be a person, a song, a place, a smell or even a word. As we are working through the stages there are times where we need to protect ourselves from these triggers. A perfect example that is all over the media right now is pop star Ariana Grande taking time off of social media because she has been unable to avoid certain triggers. We owe it to ourselves to do the same, even if that means staying away from people or things we love. Be cautious though that this is done in a healthy way and not in a way that encourages us detaching from the world around us.

Bargaining: This one is definitely my go to. “If you just let me pass this test, I promise I won’t cram or pull an overnighter next time.” We somehow think that we can magically control our surroundings but it’s not true. I have found that I feel most empowered when I let go of all attempts at control. When we try to control or bargain what is happening in our life what we are essentially doing, is to resist what is actually taking place.

Of course, there are times we wish would have never happened or things that we wish we never had to go through, but, life is going to happen regardless of whether or not we want to accept it. Bargaining is a natural instinct and the more we work on acceptance and challenge our thoughts the more we are able to move through this phase.

If I crammed for a test and know that I am unprepared it is not going to be helpful to try and bargain at that point. If I happened to have failed that test it will not be helpful to get upset and run through the bargaining phase again. What is helpful is to recognize what I can do differently and make the necessary changes. If there are things beyond our control, such as a diagnosis, it can be helpful to remind ourselves that no amount of bargaining will change the outcome but the energy we put towards the resistance can impact our every day lives. Bargaining is absolutely natural and is our attempt to try and process and understand the circumstances in our life. This part of the process is not bad or wrong, like every other stage, it is what it is. Having awareness can help us move closer towards acceptance.

Acceptance: Some people would say this is the final stage, I prefer saying this is the ultimate goal. This is the goal with all things in life, not just loss or grief. Once we get to a place where we can move with what’s happening around us and accept what is, we have the ability to create change and find peace. There will always be things that happen “to” us, we cannot stop what others will say to us or about us but we can control how we react, how we handle the situation and how we move forward.

Yes, I am sure there are verbal lashings you didn’t deserve. Yes, it is true that no one deserves something as cruel as cancer. It is also true that life happens and we cannot change it, we can only accept it and be as strategic and loving as possible in the process. This is my belief with all things in life.

Similar to every other stage previously mentioned, acceptance can come and go. These stages can happen in any order they would like. I say “they” because we simply don’t have control over them. We might go from Denial to Acceptance back to Denial to Depression to Anger back to Depression then Acceptance again. Each stage can be a different duration of time. When does it become a diagnosable clinical issue? When you begin experiencing depression for months at a time.

What happens now?

Talk about it. Challenge the idea of what might be considered taboo.

Talk about it. Challenge the idea that you are burdening others.

Talk about it. Challenge the idea that your feelings are ridiculous.

Talk about it. Challenge the idea that just because you received “good” news means you “shouldn’t” be experiencing these stages.

Talk about it. Challenge the idea that no one understands.

Talk about it. Challenge that idea that you don’t need help.

Talk about it. Challenge the idea that counseling is for the weak.

Talk about it. Challenge the idea that you shouldn’t be talking about it.

Get it yet? Challenge yourself to TALK ABOUT IT!

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Podcast:
10/17 Recap: Kahila's introduction to the podcast, why it got started and the journey that the podcast will take you on. She also shares part of her own story including her promise to her mom! Check her out using one of the various, easy to use platforms, by searching "Cancer the Easy Life":
Android: Podcast Player (purple icon)
iPhone: Podcast App (purple icon)
Soundcloud

__________________________________________________

Upcoming Events:
10/31 Podcast: Interview with Robby Medina
11/15 Seany Movie Night (purchase tickets online: The Seany Foundation)
11/17 Childhood Cancer Thrivership Symposium (Registration required: The Seany Foundation)

Meet Kahila: The Face Behind the Podcast

noreply@blogger.com (Camp Reach for the Sky) — Wed, 10 Oct 2018 04:21:00 +0000

Have you heard what’s new in The Seany Foundation (TSF) community? Hopefully you have heard by now some of the amazing new initiatives coming from The Seany Foundation such as the CARES initiative and Cancer: The ~~Easy~~ Life podcast!

Meet Kahila, the woman behind two incredible new movements happening at the foundation. Kahila is a Marriage and Family Therapist currently working as a life coach to help people discover their highest possible selves. She is passionate, driven, and lets her heart lead the way in all her endeavors. Her goal is to empower and motivate those around her and if you have ever had the opportunity to speak with her you would also agree.

But Kahila is much more than what she brings to the table! When she was just 13 years old, Kahila moved to the United States. She speaks two languages, both Persian Farsi and English and has lived in three different countries. Originally born in Iran, Kahila lived with her parents and older brother before moving to Germany for a year and then establishing California as her new home. Although she has been here for over 20 years, Kahila still remembers how terrifying it was relocating to an entirely new country and not knowing how to speak the language. Like many other kiddos she experienced bullying and challenges, but also like other kiddos, Kahila loved Disney movies, especially The Jungle Book!

Although Kahila is passionate about helping others, she is sure to take time out for herself so she can let her hair down and let lose a little bit. She even shared a secret with me!! She told me she loves to dance and sing to Lionel Richie’s “Hello” AND she is always up for a good Kiki Challenge dance off!!

Look for our Podcast Cover!

So how did this fun loving, passionate woman land here at TSF? Simple: Bernie (aka Madrid). Who doesn’t know Bernie?! This guy can hook anyone who gives him 2 minutes to talk about TSF because either A) He’s just that good; B) TSF is just that good…or C) It’s a lotta bit of both A and B!

Well, Kahila gave Bernie 2 minutes of her time and the rest was history! In time you will get to hear more about Kahila’s story so I’ll keep it short but she's worked over the past few years volunteering and raising money for Ovarian Cancer, the same cancer that cut her mom’s life short. After meeting Bernie she found the perfect home to combine the sentimental connection to the cancer community through her mom’s diagnosis and her passion for helping to empower others through mental health.

We are so excited to have Kahila launch Cancer: The ~~Easy~~ Life podcast. Who is this podcast for? This podcast is for anyone who has ever known someone who has been impacted by cancer, so the short answer is: This podcast is for EVERYONE! Who doesn’t love a good pod cast now a days? We are making the effort to reach a new platform to create a safe place to talk about the most impactful aspects of cancer. You can listen to it in your car, at home, on a plane…ANYwhere! (See below for easy and convenient phone app options.)

Cancer seems to be taboo while mental health is definitely still very taboo so we’re here to challenge that norm and work to re-create and establish a new norm. It’s ok talk about it! This is bigger than a support group, this a tool for understanding, education, and where people can connect on an every day level. We’re changing what the relationship between cancer and mental health looks like!

CARES Initiative Workshop

Additionally, one of the questions I am often asked is “what does TSF do for the community outside of camps?” So here it is: Did you know that in 2017, in collaboration with Kahila, TSF launched the CARES initiative to bring open discussions about mental health and its relation to the cancer community? These events and workshops are free and open to the public, have provided catered dinners AND free child care! We also have some really exciting events coming up in the next few months, such as the Childhood Cancer Thrivership Symposium happening on Sat. Nov. 17^th at Marina Village, but we can talk more about that a little later. (You can register for this event at www.LLS.org/Seany)

Be sure to join us! Be a part of the conversation and let us know what you want to hear. This is much different than anything currently out there and we want your voice to be heard and for you to be a part of it!

Podcast Apps:

Iphone: Podcast App (purple icon) Search: Cancer the ~~Easy~~ Life

Android: Podcast Player (purple icon) Search: Cancer the ~~Easy~~ Life

Soundcloud: Cancer the ~~Easy~~ Life

Podcast.com

The Competition of the Year

noreply@blogger.com (Camp Reach for the Sky) — Mon, 01 Oct 2018 01:17:00 +0000

What do you get when you mix Top Chef, Chopped, and the spirit of Camp? Seany’s First Annual Chef’s Fest! Hosted at the beautiful Liberty Station in Point Loma, The Seany Foundation (TSF), hosted 100’s of families and over 20 of San Diego’s best chef’s and restaurants!

TSF Chef’s Fest was an innovative chef’s competition that allow attendees to try some of the most delicious entrees. Each participant was given a token to place their vote meaning this year’s winner was decided by the people!

Chef Hector C. sporting his TSF Chef Fest winner's apron.

One unique aspect about this competition is that everyone had something memorable to gain or a special connection to the event. On behalf of the The Seany Foundation we want to give a big camp congratulations to Chef Hector Casanova with Casanova Fish Tacos who stole the show. There was intense competition but he later revealed he had a little extra motivation. Hector learned about camp and TSF through his biggest fan, one of our brightest stars, 9-year-old Cate. After learning of his big win, he shared with the crowd “I told Cate, I said ‘Cate you know what, this time I’m gonna come out and I’m gonna win for you. So this time, I raised my own bar’.”

Cate and Hector, 2014

Cate has been around the kitchen ever since she was a little girl watching her Nono handle the catering and restaurant business. Cate has also been present while Hector competed in multiple competitions, including a Taco Showdown that he won as well. Cate loves being in the kitchen herself! Her favorite is watching Gordon Ramsey’s Master Chef Jr. and working on her dessert plating and presentation.

In addition to the overall chef’s competition, there was a quick-fire challenge that allowed 8 chefs to battle head-to-head showing off their knife skills. Chef Lance R. from The University Club, San Diego out lasted every elimination as he took the crown.

Chef Lance R. Knife Quick Fire Champion.

Throughout the day you could enjoy the sounds of The Brothers Galvez while you ate and visited with local vendors. Attendees also got the first look at all the hot new items in TSF Shop, which is now up on the website! I think one of the most fun aspects was hearing how much people loved their experience. One family was overheard talking about how they had never tried some of the foods that were offered, yet they absolutely loved it! They also shared how neat it was that they got to share those experiences with one another.

The good news is, if you missed out on this year’s event, it has already been announced that The Seany Foundation is planning on hosting another Chef’s Fest in 2019! This is event will be sure to sell out again, so be sure to check back often on our upcoming events to ensure your spot ahead of time!

noreply@blogger.com (Camp Reach for the Sky) — Thu, 30 Aug 2018 17:50:00 +0000

First Annual Chefs Fest!!!
"A Culinary Competition to Fund Annual Camping Experiences for Kids Dealing with Cancer"
Sunday September 23rd, 2018 12:00pm
Luce Court at Liberty Station, 2641 Truxtan Road, San Diego, CA

The Seany Foundation is proud to present some of San Diego's leading Chefs for an exciting culinary competition; all while helping to improve the lives of kids dealing with cancer. We invite you to enjoy tasty bites from each of the participating restaurant, as each will be serving something to represent their culinary style. The day will include live music, art, coffee, juice, sunshine, and good times!

We have Chefs participating from:

Luce Bar & Kitchen

Pamplemousse Grill

Jsix Restaurant

Hotel Republic

Casanova Fish Tacos

Supernatural Sandwiches

The University Club

Evolution Hospitality

Chefs West

Frost Me Gourmet

Tommy Gomes of Catalina Offshore Products

and MANY more still to be announced!!

Cocktails will be available for purchase, graciously brought to you by Cutwater Spirits and Christian Siglin of Fernside Cocktails!

Children 4 and under are free

The Seany Foundation raises funds to continue Seany's Camp Reach for the Sky; an annual camping adventure bringing happiness to kids affected by cancer. Seany's camps provide a safe space for kids dealing with cancer to simply have fun, feel "normal," and discover themselves with the company & support of peers experiencing similar struggles, while nurturing the mind, body, and spirit through time outdoors in nature.

Please visit this link to get your tickets: <https://www.classy.org/event/1st-annual-seanys-chefs-fest/e184891?_ga=2.157643706.1258667310.1535650734-684257926.1535650734>

STREET-MURAL Throwback Thursday!

noreply@blogger.com (Camp Reach for the Sky) — Thu, 02 Mar 2017 20:00:00 +0000

How amazing was this?

Special shout out to Mount Miguel High School Art Teacher Paula Annicchiarico and her students for coming up to Resident Oncology Camp in 2016.

Seany's Camp Reach for the Sky campers spent the whole day working on the inspirational street-murals with students from Mount Miguel High School. Right alongside our campers, Ms. Paula and her students were on their knees for hours working on these amazing murals. The activity was so cool, the campers didn't notice they were working in 100+ degree blacktop weather!

On behalf of the hundreds of campers and volunteers at Seany's CR4TS, we thank you for bringing such an amazing activity to our camp. We truly hope that this becomes a regular activity that we can provide our campers each and every summer.

________________________________________________________________

Former camper and current Junior Council president Amanda Hall gives you the details on Seany's Junior Council.

For more information about The Seany Foundation and Seany's Camp Reach for the Sky please visit www.theseanyfoundation.org.

Camp Makes a Difference...

noreply@blogger.com (Camp Reach for the Sky) — Tue, 17 Jan 2017 20:12:00 +0000

Twenty Years Later: A Sisterhood of Survivors Discusses Life After Cancer

By Melanie Robins, The Seany Foundation

“Friendship…is born at the moment when one man says to another, ‘What! You too? I thought that no one but myself…’”

-C.S. Lewis, The Four Loves

VOL Tracie, Chante, Megan, Catherine, Keri, Ashley, Lori, VOL Angie, Ashley Ross, VOL Marilee (up top) Tiana, Briten

When Lori (Vick) Jolliffe and Megan (Hickey) Barbosa met at Camp Reach for the Sky’s Day Camp in 1993, they had no idea how aligned their lives would be over the next two decades. Both had been diagnosed as toddlers with rhabdomyosarcoma, a form of childhood cancer that affects connective tissue, soft tissue, and bone. As a result, they underwent similar treatment regimens, including radiation, chemotherapy, and surgeries to remove the bladder and reproductive system and create a stoma (opening) in the abdomen through which urine could drain into an ostomy bag. They would both go on as preteens to have surgeries to build a new bladder using a portion of the intestinal tract, eventually allowing them to shed their cumbersome ostomy bags and void (urinate) in a more natural way using a catheter. Today, Lori and Megan say they even get bowel obstructions (a common side effect of bladder reconstruction) around the same time.

Now in their early thirties, Megan and Lori look back and feel a deep sense of gratitude for their friendship and the memories and bonds they made at Camp Reach for the Sky. Every summer, they would reunite with each other and their strong network of friends, in particular Briten Douglas, Tiana LaCerva, Ashley Ross, and Chante Gonzalez Vido. More than just a fun break from home, school, and the hospital, Lori credits the program with supplying her with relationships that have changed her life forever. “One of the main factors why I became the person I am is from having that connection with those girls, and specifically Megan.”

Megan shares this sentiment and gives an example of how something as seemingly minor as witnessing Lori’s confidence with her ostomy bag helped quell some of her own anxieties: “I was always freaking out about the bag; I didn’t want people to know and to be treated differently. Lori would just rock it and have it hang out of her bathing suit like it’s no big deal.” As an adult, Megan fully appreciates the significance of these kinds of moments. “Our lives would have been very different without having each other to go through and troubleshoot our entire childhood.”

Like Lori and Megan, Briten took comfort in her friends and their shared experience because she too had bladder issues, although not from her cancer diagnosis of acute lymphocytic leukemia at age four. Rather, Briten was born with a congenital condition called bladder exstrophy, which is the incomplete formation of the pelvis and bladder in utero. Until she met Megan and Lori at Camp, she didn’t know anyone else who had medical problems like hers. She considered her Camp friends a lifeline because they were all going through similar challenges. “It was really nice to be able to go to Camp and have this openness with everybody to talk about our problems.” Today, Briten says Lori and Megan are still her closest confidents when it comes to health issues. “I have no other network who deals with kidney infections, bladder infections, and catheterizations.”

But for Briten, her Camp friends were more than just peers to talk to about her medical problems. They served as a shield against the terrible time she was having at school, where kids would treat her differently or even tease her for having had cancer. She recalls a memory from sixth grade when she had finally gained some confidence and began dressing up and doing her long hair before school each day. Throughout the year kids would randomly come up to her and pull her hair. Briten could not figure out what they were doing and brushed it off as some sort of silly game boys play. It wasn’t until a girl she had befriended on a class trip asked her if she had hair implants “because she had cancer.” Apparently the entire school believed Briten’s hair was fake from a cancer diagnosis she had had when she was four. She was stunned and couldn’t believe people were still talking about her diagnosis as a small child. Unfortunately, the issue followed her into middle school, despite being introduced to new kids from different grammar schools.

Briten shares the moment, while at Camp Reach for the Sky, when her entire world opened up: “I remember thinking, ‘I do have friends! People do like me! And they aren’t scared of me.’” It was so nice since nobody at school wanted to be friends because of cancer, says Briten. At Camp, she says she made friends immediately, and the only thing she didn’t like about it was that it only lasted a week.

Because Tiana was homeschooled during her illness (T-cell lymphoma), which spanned from six to ten years old, she says she fell behind both academically and socially. As a result, she felt like the odd man out with peers and had a hard time in social situations. Yet it was through her interactions with Briten and the other cabin mates and other campers and the memories they forged together at Camp and SOMBFAB (Some of My Best Friends are Bald) that she was able to open up and be herself. Of her tribe of friends, Tiana says, “…they’ll always know the real me,” a sentiment that took on greater meaning when she was diagnosed a second time, with thyroid cancer, in 2016. (More on that later.)

While Chante never felt much uneasiness toward or from classmates, she does remember kids asking her whether she was a boy or a girl because she had short, thin hair from treatment. Diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia (like Briten) at six, she spent a lot of time in the hospital. She credits her family with making the absence from school and friends less traumatic. “I have a large family that made the whole thing normal for me. They didn’t make a big deal out of [cancer] and they didn’t downplay it either. When they came to visit me in the hospital, it was just like normal family time for us.” Yet even with the support of her large family, Chante considers Camp the place where she and her friends went for true peer support. “At Camp you make the bonds really quickly and you’re basically never the outsider because everyone is in the same boat. Everyone has scars, everyone has doctor’s appointments and is throwing up from medications…you’ll never be the weird one.”

The sixth member of the close-knit cabin crew is Ashley. Diagnosed at age three with Fanconi anemia, a blood disorder that affects bone marrow, she began attending Camp when she was eight, where she quickly fell into step with her new Camp friends. Each year, Ashley and the other girls would band together a week or so before Camp to begin practicing for the annual talent show. Lori explains: “We would always plan our skit for the talent show together…well, Briten would plan it, and then we’d go to each other’s houses and practice.” She adds, “Ashley always liked to dance in those skits.” That they had so many wonderful memories together and had been through so much as kids made it all the more shocking when, on August 1, 2015, Ashley passed away from squamous cell carcinoma, a form of skin cancer. Tiana recalls how devastating it was for her and the other girls to learn that one of their dear friends who they had grown up alongside was gone. “Shock was the biggest thing for all of us. I remember being at her service. Here we all are twenty years later, living our lives as adults, doing our thing, and this is happening.”

Once she turned eighteen, Ashley stepped away from the Camp community, which is not uncommon for graduating campers excited to enter the world as adults and not quite ready to return as counselors. Tiana says she did the same, and regrets not having connected with Ashley before she died. “We struggle with guilt that we didn’t reach out to Ashley more often. That’s another side of being a childhood cancer survivor: you do feel that guilt when people around you pass away,” says Lori. She adds that for her it reinforced Camp’s value as a support system not just for young campers but also for those who age out of the program. In her heart, Lori believes she and all of the other people from Ashley’s Camp family could have supported her better had they been able to stay connected with her through Camp.

Megan, Tiana, Robby, Chante, Lori, Briten

All grown up

Now in their late twenties or early thirties, Chante, Briten, Tiana, Lori, and Megan are doing the things typical of adulthood; they work, pay bills, go grocery shopping, file taxes, all the mundane tasks of living. Marriage and children are now on the table too. While they approach these endeavors with the same level of excitement and ambivalence as the rest of us, for them (and other survivors) the ups and downs of everyday life seem to be flecked with fear and frustration related to the experience of going through a traumatic ordeal as children. For instance, Lori, who had her reproductive organs removed as a child and cannot become pregnant, admits that while she is always happy to hear when a friend or acquaintance is expecting, she cannot help but feel a tinge of jealousy. And Megan, who also had her reproductive system removed, jokes with friends, “Are you sure you want that one?” when they announce being pregnant for their second or third child. While the reality of infertility is incredibly difficult for both women, they feel fortunate to have each other to lean on for support, particularly now since they are both married and looking to grow their families. While Lori and her husband are contemplating adoption, Megan and her husband are actively pursuing it. In fact, when she’s not working at her day job as a pediatric nurse, Megan operates a skincare business to help raise money for adoption costs.

Conversely, Tiana does not to have to worry about infertility; however, she does struggle with anxiety related to her health and her ability to be there for her almost-three-year-old daughter. Last year when Tiana was diagnosed with thyroid cancer, she says the hardest part was not being able to do her best as a mom. “Trying to parent while sick is really difficult. … It’s hard being a mom and not being able to basically run my body at 100% to be the best mom I could be for her.” Naturally, Tiana fears cancer will one day affect her beloved daughter. “As a parent, I don’t want to see my kid go through this. … I don’t know how I’m going to feel when she turns six,” (the age when Tiana was first diagnosed).

As for receiving the dreaded second cancer diagnosis, Tiana says it was incredibly lonely. “No matter how many people are there for you and reach out, it’s a very lonely thing to go through the second time around. As a kid you don’t know what’s going on and as an adult you have full awareness and it’s even scarier.” Chante, who also experienced a second cancer diagnosis (acute promyelocytic leukemia in 2011), says she also had anxiety as an adult that she didn’t have as a child going through cancer. “When you’re a kid your parents take care of everything for you. As an adult, you know exactly what’s going on and you remember.” Specifically, she recalls losing her long hair from chemo and having people ask her questions about it, which made her feel more self-conscious and anxious than she did as a child.

Work life is another area where Chante, an elementary school teacher, and her friends can experience difficulties related to having had cancer. “Sometimes my short-term memory isn’t so good, but as an adult you’re expected to have your shit together.” It can be tough to do certain tasks as quickly as I once did, she says. Tiana concurs and says that with her most recent diagnosis, it’s been hard for her to do her best as the events and marketing manager at a popular, fast-paced restaurant. “I feel like I’ve always been good at carrying a lot at once, multitasking, and I haven’t been able to be that person this year.” Chante adds that lapses in school or work history could be troublesome for survivors. While she hasn’t had to deal with it personally, she can see how having to explain things like taking longer than usual to finish school or large periods of time away from work could be stressful for cancer-affected jobseekers, especially when trying not to alert potential employers to your preexisting condition.

Briten, who juggles three jobs—she’s a performer at two San Diego-based animal attractions and a promotions assistant at a well-known mass media corporation— typically puts on a bold face about her health issues and tries to stay busy to keep from feeling overwhelmed by the more painful or scarier aspects of her situation, from getting a bowel obstruction to worrying about cancer coming back. “I freak out that I’m gonna get cancer again. I’m watching it happen to so many people. … It freaks me out but I can’t think about it or it will consume me.” In fact, all of the women expressed fears about cancer returning or their health breaking down prematurely as a result of treatment. For them, this fear is always lurking, and for some, it bursts forward with unexpected force during times of stress. Briten tells the story of her last bowel obstruction just days before her thirtieth birthday: “I went into the hospital brave and strong on the outside. But I was freaking out in my mind, thinking, ‘This is it. This is how I’m gonna go.’ I broke down when the surgeon told me I had a complete bowel obstruction. … Time stops and your whole world stands still.”

The need to maintain a brave and strong façade seems to come with the territory of being a childhood cancer survivor and is something each of the woman understands well. After all, children with cancer are warriors, right? “Everyone believes in you and builds you up and you have these expectations to be something for everybody else. That probably contributes to not wanting to accept fear, stress, or anxiety,” says Briten. Lori agrees completely and admits to feeling guilty when, on more difficult days, she struggles to keep it all together. “As I get older, I get reminders of what my family went through and it’s like I’m trying to make up for what I put them through by not suffering. I try to pay back what they went through even though it wasn’t my fault.”

Of course no one is complaining about the armies of family members, friends, nurses, and doctors who cheered them on as children. When you’re a child going through cancer, you need that kind of support for your success, says Briten. “This network of people who made us feel brave was such a white to the blackness of the cancer.” Rather, the “warrior complex” is another unexpected and perhaps unavoidable aftereffect of battling a life-threatening disease as a child. Lori explains the warrior complex well: “As a kid cancer patient, it’s drilled into you that you’re a survivor, you are brave. The younger you are, the more it’s drilled into you. As you get older, now you have all of this emotional baggage that you have to deal with. Then as an adult when you can’t handle it anymore…you feel like you should be able to handle things because ‘we are strong survivors.’” Her friends expressed similar feelings, and each concluded that they would have benefited from some sort of therapy to help process their experience.

Camp spirit 4-ever

These days Lori has a hand in much of what goes on at Seany’s Camp Reach for the Sky in her role as the manager of pediatric programs and services at The Seany Foundation. Each summer, she and her fellow cabin sisters serve as counselors and mentors. Through there involvement, they not only get to stay connected to each other and their former camper friends who they grew up with, but also have the chance to put their heads and hearts together to create a truly magical experience for kids going through cancer right now.

Briten still remembers how fun Camp was and how it shaped her life. In particular, she recalls a time when she was about ten or eleven and had a truly incredible time at Camp because of the efforts of the program director at the time, Sheri Sevenbergen. “She did all these cool, amazing things. I couldn’t wait to find out every day what new fun things we would be doing. I had the best time under her leadership.” As the current program director for the Resident Oncology Camp session, Briten says the experience with Sherri inspires her to want to think up fun, creative ways to make Camp awesome for current campers. Because for Briten Camp is so much more than “just” a good time—although fun is pretty important for kids who have to contend with cancer—Camp is an source of strength. “Camp kept me holding on, that one week kept my motivation for life, even when kids were so nasty at school and cancer still followed me even though I was in remission for years. Camp was the highlight of my life.”

Megan’s fondest memories of Camp are the times she spent laughing and talking in the cabin with her bunkmates. Some of the most important conversations she had about cancer and the issues she was facing happened organically in that trusted setting, she says. She’s grateful when she witnesses this among campers now because she knows how deeply healing those moments can be.

Tiana laughs as she relays a memory of a giant food and water fight on the field one year when she was a camper: “Everyone was so happy everywhere you turned and there was so much joy. It was like, ‘I’m gonna attack you with food, but I do it out of love.’ Or ‘I love you, but I’m gonna squirt ketchup on you.’”

During our conversations, the happy memories from a childhood spent at Camp Reach for the Sky seemed to spill out of each woman. When you think about the hell they’ve been through, some of them twice, that is no small feat. But no matter what kind of adult-sized problems they are facing at the moment, they know they’ll always have each other to lean on. “You know when you get the call or the text, you drop whatever you’re doing because you know why, and you have that understanding that you can be really raw with each other,” says Megan.

“I don’t know a life other than cancer. Because I was so young, I don’t know anything else. For me it’s normal,” says Lori. And she’s not alone. There are nearly 400,000 childhood cancer survivors living in the United States today.[i] They share a unique experience that can only be understood by others who have walked this path. That’s why programs like Seany’s Camp Reach for the Sky are so vitally important; they help kids coping with a life-threatening illness to feel comfortable in their own skin not just for one week, but for a lifetime.

Is it stress or something more?

As a childhood cancer survivor, it’s natural to feel some stress about the status of your health. But if the fears and pain you experienced as a child went largely unexpressed, they may be causing anxiety, depression, or other negative emotional states of being. In some cases, the trauma of going through a life-threatening experience like cancer can lead to post-traumatic stress (PTS), which can manifest as irritability, fearfulness, or defensiveness. In some cases,[ii] even post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which has symptoms more severe than PTS and includes flashbacks, severe anxiety, and insomnia and nightmares, can result. So if you think your experience of cancer as a child might be negatively affecting your life today, don’t hesitate to talk to a mental health professional. There is absolutely no shame in getting help. You don’t have to be a warrior anymore.

RESOURCES

For childhood cancer survivors:

Cancer-Related Post-traumatic Stress (PDQ®)–Patient Version: https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/coping/survivorship/new-normal/ptsd-pdq#section/_1

For parents of children with cancer or survivors:

Haunted by a Child’s Illness: http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/10/14/haunted-by-a-childs-illness/?src=twrhp&_r=1

When to Get Help for Your Child: https://www.aftertheinjury.org/when-look-more-help-your-child

How to Talk to Your Child (video): https://www.aftertheinjury.org/how-to-talk-to-your-child

For healthcare providers working with children:

Healthcare Toolbox: Your Guide to Helping Children and Families Cope with Illness and Injury

https://www.healthcaretoolbox.org

In loving memory of Ashley Ross

[i] National Cancer Institute. “Childhood Cancer Survivor Study: An Overview.” Updated: August 31, 2016. https://www.cancer.gov/types/childhood-cancers/ccss

[ii] National Cancer Institute. “Symptoms of cancer-related post-traumatic stress (PTS) are a lot like symptoms of other stress-related disorders.” Cancer-Related Post-traumatic Stress (PDQ®)–Patient Version. Updated: July 7, 2015. https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/coping/survivorship/new-normal/ptsd-pdq#section/_8

noreply@blogger.com (Camp Reach for the Sky) — Tue, 10 Jan 2017 17:25:00 +0000

Seany's Camp Reach for the Sky

2016 Volunteer Awards: summary

SIbling Camp Award Winners

SIBS Volunteer of the Year QUEEN B

SIBS Rookie of the Year KNEECO

SIBS Rookie of the Year ROSHAMBO*

SIBS BOYS Standout Counselor CHUCKLES*

SIBS BOYS Standout Counselor POSEIDON

SIBS GIRLS Standout Counselor KITKAT

SIBS GIRLS Standout Counselor SUNNY*

SIBS TEENS Standout Counselor STIBI

SIBS TEENS Standout Counselor SPUD

SIBS Most Spirited RARA*

SIBS Most Spirited GUVNAH

SIBS Best Buddy/Best Listener LIGHTNING*

SIBS Best Buddy/Best Listener JAMMER*

Day Camp Award Winners
DAY Volunteer of the Year BULLDOG

DAY Rookie of the Year LITTLE

DAY Rookie of the Year DUCKETS

DAY BOYS Standout Counselor BLOCKHEAD

DAY BOYS Standout Counselor TALLTOES*

DAY GIRLS Standout Counselor FRENCHIE*

DAY GIRLS Standout Counselor BLOCKBUSTER*

DAY Most Spirited DORA*

DAY Most Spirited RAILROAD

DAY Best Buddy/Best Listener RAZZLE*

DAY Best Buddy/Best Listener COCO

Resident Oncology Camp Award Winners

ROC Volunteer of the Year JOJO

ROC Rookie of the Year BAMBI

ROC Rookie of the Year BONGO*

ROC BOYS Standout Counselor JUJU

ROC BOYS Standout Counselor BOOBOO

ROC GIRL Standout Counselor KSMALLS*

ROC GIRL Standout Counselor MIGHTY MOUSE

ROC TEENS Standout Counselor LO*

ROC TEENS Standout Counselor BLUE*

ROC Most Spirited GABBY

ROC Most Spirited DIVA*

ROC Best Buddy/Best Listener SAMI

ROC Best Buddy/Best Listener RESCUE*

The Chris Ramirez Award

2016 PPS Volunteer of the Year COUGAR

noreply@blogger.com (Camp Reach for the Sky) — Fri, 06 Jan 2017 17:51:00 +0000

We hope you've all enjoyed your holiday season! We at The Seany Foundation have rested up and are ready in full swing for a 2017 full of awesome programs and events!

Our first 2017 event is our January Gamer Club!

Join us for an evening of fun and games! And food and prizes!

Did we mention pizza from BJ's Restaurant? What about gingerbread pizookies?

Can't wait to see you all TONIGHT!