For many children, summer camp is a defining part of childhood. For children facing serious illness, it often feels out of reach. While their peers head off to camp, many are left navigating treatments, hospital stays, and the isolating reality of illness, missing out on the simple joy of just being kids.
For decades, Camp Simcha and Camp Simcha Special, Chai Lifeline’s flagship medically supervised summer programs, have given children facing serious illness a place where they can experience freedom, friendship, and unforgettable moments.
Camp Simcha Without Borders takes it a step further.
Returning for its sixth year, Camp Simcha Without Borders, sponsored by The Ann & David Kupperman Foundation, brings the spirit and energy of Camp Simcha directly to local communities across the country, ensuring that every child, regardless of medical circumstance, has the chance to experience the magic of summer. Originally launched to serve children unable to travel to overnight camp during COVID, Camp Simcha Without Borders has grown into a vital extension of Camp Simcha’s mission, now reaching hundreds of children each year in communities nationwide.
“Every child deserves a summer to remember,” said Rabbi Simcha Scholar, CEO of Chai Lifeline. “Camp Simcha Without Borders ensures that even in the midst of illness, children can experience joy, friendship, and the ability to just be kids.”
Across Chai Lifeline regions in Baltimore, Chicago, Lakewood, Los Angeles, and South Florida, children take part in days filled with music, sports, creative programming, and the kind of pure, unfiltered fun that illness so often interrupts. More than just activities, these programs create something deeper: connection, confidence, and a powerful sense of belonging.
“Camp Simcha isn’t just a place. It’s a feeling of joy and freedom,” said Eli Braun, LMSW, Director of Camp Simcha Without Borders. “We’re bringing that feeling directly to children wherever they are. For one week, they get a piece of their childhood back, and that can be life-changing.”
For families navigating the uncertainty of illness, those moments are more than just a break from routine. They are a reminder that childhood is still possible, and that they are not alone.
To learn more about Chai Lifeline or to support Camp Simcha programming, visit www.chailifeline.org/simcha.
