Camp Sunshine Dreams is a children's oncology camp designed to offer children with cancer and their siblings a typical summer camping experience free of charge. Camp Sunshine Dreams provides an enjoyable, stimulating, and supportive experience for these children while taking into account their special emotional and physical needs. Camp Sunshine Dreams was created in 1988, and had a first year enrollment of 25 campers and a staff of ten. Today we have an enrollment of 100+ campers (children 8 to 15 years of age), 10 Junior Counselors, (children 16 and 17 years of age), and 35 staff members. In 1991 we were able to bring six children with cancer resulting from the Chernobyl nuclear power accident, and their physician and interpreter to our camp for the summer. From 1988 through 1992, this camp was the fastest growing oncology camp in the nation. Camp Sunshine Dreams is the only camp for children with cancer in the Central California area. Children from an eight county wide area attend this week long camp held at Huntington Lake each summer during the month of August. Camp Sunshine Dreams is a successful program, which provides an invaluable experience to cancer patients and their siblings.

Camp is for the campers. The campers are the camp.

We will provide children with cancer and their siblings with a week in the mountains filled with fun, new experiences, opportunities to develop positive character qualities, and build strong new relationships. We will provide them with a safe environment in which to experience growing and developing in the unique camp community setting, and in the out-of-doors.

We will help campers increase their awareness of and responsibility to others.

We will help campers develop positive self-images and self-understanding.

We will keep kids and staff safe both "outside" (physically) and "inside" (psychologically.)

We will focus on the "loners" and "lost ones" and make a positive difference in their lives.

We will help campers develop strong positive relationships with others.

We will help campers develop positive character qualities based on the Six Pillars of Character: Trustworthiness, Responsibility, Caring, Respect, Fairness, and Citizenship.

We will help campers learn more about their outdoor world and practice taking care of it.

Children who have (or had) cancer and their siblings throughout Central California.

Camp Sunshine Dreams operates under the direction of the Camp Sunshine Dreams Board of Directors, composed of volunteer members from Children’s Hospital Central California, the Candlelighter’s Organization (parents of children with cancer), and individuals from within the targeted communities.

- The Kevin and Willard Hew Memorial Golf Tournament

- Children's Hospital Central California

- Candlelighters

- Chris Hernandez

Camp Sunshine Dreams provides:

- Campers with a variety of skills, projects, and support systems which they may utilize throughout the year.

- Unique and special emotional and medical needs for the campers.

- Individual and group appreciation of the out-of-doors among all campers involved in the program, and provide a variety of group social experiences.
- Respect and responsibility for the individual and group as the campers live and grow within the camp community.
- Opportunities for campers to gain mastery over their medical condition and treatment program.

- Opportunities for learning skills specific to pain control, and self medication and dressing changes.

- One of the most unique and most successful programs designed to give campers opportunity to grieve and express feelings and fears openly, and to receive both immediate and long term support.