Kay's Kamp

Description

Kay’s Kamp is the vision of Kaylyn E. Warren who was stricken with Leukemia at the age of 17. For most of Kaylyn’s treatment she was a patient at Christiana Care Hospital and the Helen F. Graham Cancer Center, except for a brief 2 month stretch spent in Seattle at the Fred Hutchinson Center. There, Kay hoped to receive a life saving stem cell transplant but her leukemia was too strong and being unable to remain in remission, the transplant never happened. Kaylyn’s lifelong dream of running a Bed & Breakfast soon changed to running a summer camp for kids suffering from all types of childhood cancers. Kay knew first hand how cancer had stolen the normalcy of her young life. Every child suffering from cancer is forced to mature before their time and must live a "new normal" existence that is anything but "normal"! When Kaylyn realized she would be unable to start the camp herself, she asked that her dreams and vision be fulfilled. Through the foundation established in her loving memory, The Kaylyn Elaine Warren Foundation (KEWF), a 501(c)(3) organization, was established in June of 2007. Our main focus and program is "Kay’s Kamp". Not really knowing where to start, we began by simple fundraising. A golf tournament, family fun walk and Macy’s "Shop for a Cause" were all part of the 2007 events. Slowly but surely our name and cause was reaching the residents of Delaware and surrounding areas, but in reality we didn’t know too much about camping -especially camping for kids with cancer. Thanks to a group of very dedicated volunteers, Kay’s Kamp opened August 8- 15, 2009.