From Campers to Activity Leaders

Written by: Bianca Hernandez, Development & Communications Project Manager

“There’s magic at Camp Aranzazu. It’s amazing to see that so many boundaries and barriers are taken down for every single person who goes to Camp. From campers to staff, you’re going to push yourself mentally. You’re going to feel like you belong; you’re going to find people who love and support you. You’re going to get whatever you need and have a chance to grow and be yourself,” shares Alexis. At 13, Alexis pushed her twin brother, Arnold, to join her at Camp Aranzazu for Driscoll Children’s Hospital Camp TLC (Teens Living with Cancer). As young teens, they were both nervous to be away from home for the first time and staying in a cabin with people they didn’t know.

After a week at Camp Aranzazu, they both left changed. Alexis was able to focus on her mental health and share her feelings with other Driscoll patients who were also undergoing cancer treatment. And for Arnold, he was able to connect with other kids who had siblings battling cancer and understand that he wasn’t alone in his feelings.

“It wasn’t just me dealing with cancer. Cancer affected all of us as a family. And it was special to find a safe place away from home full of so much profound healing,” says Alexis.

Alexis and Arnold were eager to return to Camp Aranzazu as activity leaders in 2021. They were both excited to use their experiences as campers to help others grow, find a community, and achieve their own goals. Says Arnold, “We want campers to have fun and know that people like us are there to help them. We want to give them the best week of their lives.” Alexis added, “After feeling the connection and encouragement from the Camp Aranzazu staff when we were campers, we knew we wanted to be that for someone else. I wanted to extend that same love and support to our campers. Help them express themselves and figure out who they are — that’s what Camp Aranzazu did for me.”

Ready to start your own transformational summer? Visit https://camparanzazu.org/careers to apply today! You can also read more about Camp Aranzazu in the April edition of Coastal Connections.