Cancer Bridges’ Camp Clubhouse gives children affected by cancer a safe space
A little girl with long wavy brown locks danced to the song “Brown Skin Girl” — the tune by Blue Ivy, SAINt JHN, Beyoncé and Wizkid is one she and her late father would perform as he held her little hand while she spun around the living room floor and throughout the house.
Her dad was her biggest hero.
That’s why 4-year-old Eva McMillan chose the music for her performance in the talent show at Cancer Bridges’ Camp Clubhouse in Pittsburgh’s Strip District.
“It reminds me of my dad,” Eva said as she clutched a “daddy bear,” a teddy bear made from three of her late father’s T-shirts that she often hugs for comfort. “The song makes me happy.”
Eva, of Baldwin, was 2 weeks old when her father Elias McMillan was diagnosed with neuroendocrine cancer. He died in September of 2021. He was 34 years old; Eva was 2.
She was one of the youngest attendees at the camp. Her mother, Asha McMillan, connected with the camp through a grief program.
“Eva only knew her dad as being sick,” Asha McMillan, 37, said. “Coming here helps both of us. We’ve felt loved and welcomed every day here. Eva feels she belongs here, and she can talk about how daddy was sick and share those feeling with the people here. She sees other kids going through it, too.”
Camp Clubhouse gives any child impacted by cancer the space to connect with other children who understand what it is like to know cancer. This was the 15th year for the camp.
There were in-person activities, therapeutic programs, crafts, games and entertainment to allow campers to interact with each other, engage with adult leaders, and have a space to create and express themselves.
They did tie-dyes and a superhero cape collage as well as yoga and zumba, music therapy and a visit by superheroes — this year’s theme superhero theme celebrated the campers being superheroes in their every day lives.
There were 41 campers who were there for five days from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., July 17-21.
A highlight of the final day was the talent show. Parents and other family members were invited. The youngsters played the cello, showed a stuffed animal, sang a song, played the piano, did magic tricks, played a game, named all the countries’ flags, did karate, performed a numbers trick and did bottle flipping while accompanied by one of the campers on the cello. One camper wore a cape, because sometimes being a hero in the fight against cancer comes from within.
Campers practiced throughout the week.
They joined the camp counselors and family members to watch a video from the week’s activities that had the song “Holding Out for a Hero” sung by Jennifer Saunders from the “Shrek 2” movie soundtrack playing in the background.
The children could focus on who has been a superhero in their everyday lives, and celebrate and acknowledge these superheroes.
“Each and every camper is a super hero and we are here to celebrate all the super heroes in our lives,” said Abby Ziegler, family and youth program manager for Cancer Bridges and a certified child life specialist. “It’s a time away from medical stress. It’s a safe space to talk about cancer, or not talk about it. It gives them an outlet to express themselves. We help them with what they need at this at this point in their journey.”
The journey is an emotional one, said Tiffany Taylor of Hempfield, whose daughter Isabella was a camp counselor for a second year and son Ian, was a camper.
Their grandfather, Tiffany Taylor’s father, Norman Lander Sr., died of lung cancer in November of 2021. He was 78 years old. Tiffany Taylor said her dad was definitely the family’s “superhero.”
“The people at Cancer Bridges have been an amazing family to us,” Tiffany Taylor said. “Our children didn’t understand cancer and they helped explain it to them on an age appropriate level. They have met people on the same journey. The people here understand what they are going through.”
The family found out about this resource through the UPMC Hillman Cancer Center in Shadyside.
“They have given our children so much support,” Tiffany Taylor said. “They love coming to camp. They’ve made friends here. It’s a safe space.”
They know they aren’t the only ones going through this, said Taylor’s husband, Tim.
“To see what their grandpa went through … nothing prepares you for that,” Tiffany Taylor said. “They saw him the day before he passed and were able to say goodbye. We often say, ‘what would grandpa do or what would grandpa think?’”
Isabella Taylor, who goes by Izzy, said the entire week was so much fun.
“The kids were great,” Izzy said. “We all have a shared experience. I love everything about camp.”
This year’s Camp Clubhouse was funded by the Jamie Cordial Hall Foundation. The mission of the Jamie Cordial Hall Foundation, based in Westmoreland County, is to provide assistance to children and families in need in the community.
Jamie Cordial Hall died of a postpartum hemorrhage. She was 38. Her parents Dale and Michele, and Jamie’s brothers Chad, Nicholas and Jason, started the foundation in Jamie’s memory.
“The people here are doing God’s work,” said Dale Cordial of Unity. “We thought it was important to sponsor this camp so they could plan all the activities and not have to worry about how to pay for it.”
JoAnne Klimovich Harrop is a TribLive reporter covering the region's diverse culinary scene and unique homes. She writes features about interesting people. The Edward R. Murrow award-winning journalist began her career as a sports reporter. She has been with the Trib for 26 years and is the author of "A Daughter's Promise." She can be reached at jharrop@triblive.com.
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