HELP THE “WARRIOR OF CANCER & THE ARMY OF HAPPINESS” SEND 10 KIDS TO CAMP SUNSHINE!

Posted by Bradford Skelley

There are some people who you meet in life that are just good folks. Christopher Kappy (he just goes by “Kappy”) is one of those guys. When he’s not plotting and planning for a rockin’ good time out on the high seas with Sixthman Cruises, Kappy is a tireless warrior and volunteer for various childhood cancer charities. I don’t think there’s been a benefit concert or fundraiser that has to do with kids and cancer that’s taken place in Atlanta over the past decade that Kap hasn’t had a hand in.

One of Kappy’s favorite things is volunteering for one week each summer at Camp Sunshine, where kids of all ages that are afflicted with cancer get to go and just be kids. For some, it brings a refreshing of the soul, allowing minds and bodies to heal. For others, it may their last summer; a final chance to experience the outdoors. One this is certain - Camp Sunshine brings a much needed reprieve from the sanitized setting of a hospital and gives the kids a break from it all; to laugh, play, swim and experience life in the great outdoors.

The medical care for these kids doesn’t stop for the week though, nor does it come cheap. As you can imagine, the level of medical treatments, personnel and staff is immense to ensure the children’s continuation of care and safety. This year, which marks Kappy’s 10th year as a counselor at Camp Sunshine, he is asking for help in raising $10,000 to sponsor ten kids.

If you have gotten this far, then please take a minute to read the latest blog from Kappy below, recounting what the past ten summers at Camp Sunshine has meant to him. There is a direct link to donate at the end. Any amount is greatly appreciated. It all adds up. We are personally giving up Starbucks for a week. Expect grogginess…but happy grogginess.

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Warrior Of Cancer & The Army Of Happiness Blogspot:

(June 2, 2013) 2013 marks my 10th year as a counselor at Camp Sunshine, an oncology camp for children who have or had cancer.

For the last 10 summers I have been able to have the ability to help children be normal in a not so normal world. I have had the privilege of getting to know great kids and watch them grow from 10 year olds up to college. I have held hands, brushed off scraped knees, watched many an amputee climb a rock wall, laughed till my sides hurt, and cried when our cabin has lost a camper.

Our cabin, Cabin 23, is a rambunctious group, led my co-counselor Joe and myself (and our cabin Dad Bo). We don’t let cancer define these kids… we help these kids define cancer. These young men, even at the age 15, know more about life than a lot of us have ever seen… because they had to fight for theirs… tooth and nail. Life has changed forever for these boys, due to their treatments and the after effects that they will deal with late into their lives. But now, right now, they are happy, safe, and able to be kids in a place that embraces their cancer and rewards them with a group of peers that have walked in their shoes.

There are so many stories I could tell you, so many times that my mind was blown by these kids, and the amount of times I sat back with pride as these men became a brotherhood… a brotherhood brought together by cancer. I could tell you of the tears I have choked back as I watch them help each other at camp… they have never seen race, age, gender, religion, or socioeconomics… what they have seen is port scars, skull caps, prosthetic legs, and wheelchairs and all they do is push through to be better. I have learned as much from them as they have from me… I wish more of the world was like this.

If you can help, I would like to send my 10 boys to camp this summer. Camp is $1000 a head and I would like to raise $10,000 in the month of June for these boys. If you can give, I will be humbled, grateful, and most of thankful you can help these boys be boys… you can help them have a week of laughter, bonding, and most of all… fun!