TABERNACLE — Natalie Richardson attended Camp No Worries for the first time as an adolescent. Cancer treatments had left her bald, and the 12-year-old arrived at camp wearing a wig.
By the end of the weeklong program, she had gained enough confidence to remove the hairpiece, she said. Getting to know other children with cancer taught her that she wasn't alone in her battle.
Richardson, now 31, is back at the nonprofit Camp No Worries this week as a veteran volunteer serving as its program director. The Hodgkin's lymphoma she was treated for through age 13 has been in remission for years, and the Philadelphia resident's story is encouraging a new generation of campers.
Held at Camp Inawendiwin through a partnership with the Girl Scouts facility, the overnight Camp No Worries is free for children from South Jersey who have had cancer, are living with cancer or who have a sibling with cancer. Sponsored by the YMCA of Burlington and Camden Counties, it costs about $800 for each child's expenses, camp director Chris Callanan said.
"We rely on donations to make sure camp comes back year after year," the Medford native said.
The all-volunteer staff numbers a nearly one-on-one ratio to the campers and includes all types of participants, such as college students, teachers on summer breaks and professional medical personnel. Some used personal vacation time from their regular jobs to volunteer for the week.
A number of similar camps in the United States are devoted to childhood oncology patients, according to Callanan, a Philadelphia resident. Camp No Worries was started in 1994 and is unique in South Jersey, he said.
This year, 86 children ages 6 to 16 are attending the program. Divided into three age groups, they participate in many traditional camp activities, such as team sports and games, swimming, and arts and crafts. Using a time-travel theme, this week's activities included a 1980s-theme dance.
"They will travel around to each of the activities throughout the day," Callanan said. "Each night is a special program."
Medical director Nancy Pirie, a nurse from Medford Lakes, has been with the program since its start. A former oncology nurse, she is an administrator at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Although there are no acutely ill children attending this year, Pirie said previous campers have required medical assistance.
Crystalee Chaparro, 13, of Pennsauken, is among the campers still undergoing chemotherapy treatment. She is fighting leukemia but opted to attend for a third year. During a break from playing Human Pac-Man, Crystalee said the camp allows her to "not think about it" and to have fun.
"If you want to talk about it, there are kids to talk to," she said.
Catie Fisher, 12, has been cancer-free for more than 10 years after battling neuroblastoma. The Burlington Township resident has been attending Camp No Worries for three years with her younger sister, Stephanie. While her classmates at school can't relate, Catie said she has formed friendships with children who have had similar experiences with cancer.
"They understand what it feels like," she said. "Everyone here is nice and welcoming. We're one big happy family."
Siblings of childhood cancer patients, including Crystalee's brother and twin sisters, are as much a priority for Camp No Worries as those battling their illnesses.
Brothers and sisters often are "overlooked" by parents who are more focused on the ill child, according to Callanan. He said siblings are routinely part of the treatment process, often accompanying family members to hospitals and doctors' offices, and helping with care at home.
"At Camp No Worries, they get all the attention they deserve," Callanan said.
Some young siblings interviewed Tuesday said the camp is a "fun" time for them.
Sporting a can tab bracelet she made during an arts and crafts session, Stephanie Fisher, 9, said she gets excited about coming back. In addition to the activities, she said the camp encourages kids to "be yourself."
Medford Lakes resident Kelly Haughey, 9, has been attending the camp for three years. She clutched a stuffed dinosaur from home as she talked about her brother, who has cancer. She said she enjoys "almost everything" about the program, especially making crafts.
Pirie described the camp as a celebration of life for the children.
"When they come here, they're campers. Nobody is really the patient," she said. "That's the really cool part of this."
To make a donation to the program, visit www.campnoworries.org.
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