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Normalized Camping Experience's Psychological Benefits for Children With Cancer

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Study Aim

This observational study aims to explore the psychological benefits, specifically the increase in self-esteem, in children with cancer who participate in a normalized camping experience.

What is being collected

Data Collection

Collected from today forward - Prospective
Who is being recruted

Neoplasms

From 7 to 25 Years
+9 Eligibility Criteria
See all eligibility criteria
How is the trial designed

Cohort

Tracking disease incidence in order to identify risk factors and understand disease progression over time.
Observational
Study Start: February 1983
See protocol details

Summary

Principal SponsorNational Cancer Institute (NCI)
Study ContactTammara Jenkins, R.N.More contacts
Last updated: July 16, 2026
Sourced from a government-validated database.Claim as a partner

Study start date: February 15, 1983

Actual date on which the first participant was enrolled.

Background: * Cancer has an enormous impact on the psychological and social well-being of the family unit. The life-threatening connotations of cancer single out the ill child from his peer/family group as one who is different, and often unable to maintain a normal lifestyle. Physical sequelae of cancer and its treatment accentuate the differences between these children and their normal peers/siblings. * It is important that children with cancer be prepared to function outside of protected situations and begin to develop skills of separation and independence. For healthy children, some of these latter skills are acquired by a camping experience. Such an experience for the patient with cancer is frequently precluded by their dependence on medical facilities and the physical limitations of their activities. * The goal of this study will be to assess the short and long term benefits of the "normalized" camping experience, provided in conjunction with Special Love, Inc., on the patients and staff. In particular, we will seek to determine whether such a comprehensive experience is capable of influencing the attitudes and life experiences of patients and staff in a positive manner. Objectives: -To evaluate the impact of an enriched normalized camping experience on the quality of life of the pediatric cancer patient. In particular, attempts will be made to measure the manner in which this experience influences the child's sense of well-being and self-esteem as well as his or her relationship with parents, family, and peers. Eligibility: * Children 7-17 years of age who are currently being treated for cancer or are up to 5 years post therapy OR Young adults with cancer (YACers) 18-25 years of age who are acting as counselors at Camp Fantastic and are enrolled in another NIH protocol. * All children/young adults will be selected for camp after careful screening by a multidisciplinary committee consisting of medical and program directors. * At the discretion of the multidisciplinary committee consisting of medical and program directors, special exceptions may be made for children with extenuating circumstances. Design: * Assessment of benefit may include interviews with children and families before, during and following camp. Observational data on the child's performance at camp will be collected. * Medical and nursing personnel will consist of staff from the Pediatric Oncology Branch at the NCI, other units within the NIH, and participating institutions. * Special Love members, the Program Director at the 4-H Center camp (site of the camp) and Pediatric Oncology Branch staff at the NCI will coordinate the camp program, taking into account the medical needs of each camper. * Every attempt will be made to provide a full agenda of age appropriate activities for the patients. * The length of the camping experience for children with cancer will be for 7 days beginning on a Sunday and extending through the following Saturday morning. Patients will be transported to the camp from the NIH Clinical Center and the Virginia hospitals by bus.

Principal SponsorNational Cancer Institute (NCI)
Study ContactTammara Jenkins, R.N.More contacts
Last updated: July 16, 2026
Sourced from a government-validated database.Claim as a partner

Protocol

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.
Design Details

5000 patients to be enrolled

Total number of participants that the clinical trial aims to recruit.

Cohort

These studies follow a group of individuals with common characteristics (such as a condition or birth year) over a specific period to study health outcomes or exposures.

Eligibility

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria: person's general health condition or prior treatments.
Conditions
Criteria

Any sex

Biological sex of participants that are eligible to enroll.

From 7 to 25 Years

Range of ages for which participants are eligible to join.

Healthy volunteers not allowed

If individuals who are healthy and do not have the condition being studied can participate.

Conditions

Pathology

Neoplasms

Criteria

8 inclusion criteria required to participate
Young adults with cancer (YACers) 18-25 years of age who are acting as counselors at Camp Fantastic

Children 7-17 years of age who are currently being treated for cancer or are up to 5 years post therapy

Patients who have had amputations or have other physical defects

All children will be officially enrolled and will have an NIH Clinical Center Patient Care Number. The enrollment of a child, signing of protocol consent, and completion of admission paperwork is done in person but under extenuating circumstances it may be done over the phone after the paperwork has been mailed to the parent/guardian. Extenuating circumstances would include a last minute application to camp after the trip for camp screenings in Norfolk or Richmond has been completed

Show More Criteria

1 exclusion criteria prevent from participating
Children with a medical diagnosis other than cancer or their related disorders

Study Plan

Find out more about all the medication administered in this study, their detailed description and what they involve.
Treatment Groups
Study Objectives

2 intervention groups are designated in this study

This study does not include a placebo group 

Treatment Groups

Study Objectives

Primary Objectives

Secondary Objectives

Study Centers

These are the hospitals, clinics, or research facilities where the trial is being conducted. You can find the location closest to you and its status.

This study has 1 location

Recruiting

National Institutes of Health Clinical Center

Bethesda, United StatesOpen National Institutes of Health Clinical Center in Google Maps
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One Study Center