News
Camp Counselor Shares Her Experience
(featured in The Star Ledger August 14th, 2007)
Goal: "To show kids the best time of their lives and help them forget about cancer for a week," Scripko said.
Background: Tracy Scripko is a survivor of childhood cancer and a former camper at Camp Happy times. "I was diagnosed at 5 years old with a form of cancer of the blood. Going for treatments as a child when you're in a clinical setting three days a week can be draining and a little scary. Sometimes you think you're the only one going through it. But going to the camp, I realized there were other kids like me, and adults who allowed me to be myself and have fun. It makes a difference. I even learned to water ski," Scripko said. "It's more than camp; it's like family for a week. So I went from being a camper to being a counselor at age 21 ... and my desire to help others also led me to a career in nursing," she said. Camp Happy Times, in Wayne County, Pa., offers campers ages 5 to 21 a range of typical summer camp activities, such as swimming, dancing, and wall climbing, singing, cooking and kayaking. It is open to kids who have or have had cancer. "Volunteers like Tracy who were campers at one time show our kids today that there is a life after cancer," said Millie Finkel, volunteer director of Camp happy Times. In honor of the camp's 25th anniversary, an individual donor has challenged the Valerie Fund to raise 25 gifts of $25,000 each for the Valerie Fund Centers or Camp Happy Times this year.
Quote: "Knowing that I made a difference in a child's life just by showing them life is more than their illness, more than needles or other treatments, is important," Scripko said.
Personal: Scripko, 39, is a nurse in the Pediatric Rehabilitation Unit at Children's Specialized Hospital, Mountainside.
How you can help: The Valerie Fund is headquartered in Millburn. Visit the organization's Web site at www.thevaleriefund.org
The Valerie Fund is supported through corporate and foundation grants, special and community events, individual donations, bequests and direct mail solicitations. The organization is located at 2101 Millburn Ave., Maplewood, NJ.