First time at camp?
No worries, we’ve got you!
Sending your child to camp for the first time can be nerve-wracking both for new campers and their families. We’ve provided some information here to help make this new experience a great one!
New to Camp
We’re so glad you’re here. Since 1978, we have been providing camp experiences for kids with cancer. What started out as a Summer Camp opportunity has now expanded into year-round programming including opportunities for siblings, families, and digital participation. Thank you for being part of our community of gold.
From starting your application to dropping your child off at camp, we want to help you understand every step of the process. Whether you have questions about submitting required materials or when to expect additional information, we’re here for you.
Apply Online
3-5 Months Before Camp
- Confirmation of application sent immediately from UltraCamp.
- Camp communication about application status & next steps within 1-2 weeks of registration closing.
- Start collecting materials to complete application.
Submit Materials
1-2 Months Before Camp
- Work with your medical team to complete physical exam & obtain immunization records.
- Send in physical, immunizations, & insurance information to Camp.
- Explore transportation options.
Get Ready for Camp!
1-2 Weeks Before Camp
- If on waitlist, get updates leading up to camp.
- Receive packing list and important schedule details.
- Learn about check in/out & drop off/pick up details & times.
A Day in the Life of a Camper
Every camp planning team is made up of a dedicated team of volunteers, which we refer to as Program Directors, Program Leaders, Coordinators, or Admin Staff. They work closely with our Camp One Step staff and spend countless hours coming up with creative activities and experiences to make each camp unique. Even though each opportunity is different, we wanted to help you better understand what a day at Camp could look like.
Being at camp is a blast, but being away from parents and families can take some time to get used to. We’ve shared some tips below for how to make camp drop-off a positive experience for everyone.
Communicate
Talk with your child about what to expect at camp and share any details provided by the Camp One Step team.
Understanding
Understand that homesickness may occur; discuss it with your child before camp and reassure them that they’re not the only one who may be missing home.
A Piece of Home
Discuss bringing a keepsake from home to help your child connect with you while away.
Letters Home
Explain that communication home from camp is limited, but encourage letter writing to help continue that bond.
Encouragement
Excite your child about the camp experience and encourage them to enjoy the fun for the duration of camp, even if they’re missing home.
They’re Not Alone
Knowing that they will have adults there to support them and that they will be sharing a room with others are a great way to create a smooth transition into camp.
Camper forms and materials
In order to provide the best experience for everyone, we partner with families to collect important information regarding your child’s health and wellness before camp. We ask that families carefully review forms and materials to provide the most accurate and up to date information as possible, ensuring a safe and fun experience for your child while at camp.
Copies, screenshots, or pictures of medical forms and materials can be securely uploaded to your UltraCamp account after applying, or can be sent to designated Camp One Step staff. Due dates for submitted materials will be determined on a camp-to-camp basis; they are communicated via email so please keep a close eye on your inbox.
Health History,
Medication Form,
& Medical Consent
As part of the online application process, you will be required to complete a health history that explores your child’s medical needs, describe the dosage and schedule for medications while at camp, and provide consent for treatment that could take place at camp. Because safety is our top priority, all of this information helps us to take the best care of your child while away.
Physical Exam Forms
Working with your healthcare team to provide an updated physical exam form is crucial for safety at camp. Physical exams help determine eligibility and allow our team to adapt activities so everyone can participate together. A physical exam form is required for all new participants; updated physicals are required once a year for children who are not on therapy and before each camp for children who are on therapy. Physical exam forms are not needed for participation in Digital Camps or family-based opportunities.
Download Your Physical Forms
Immunization Records
In order to keep our immunocompromised community well at camp, routine childhood immunizations are required for all participants. This includes measles, mumps, rubella, varicella, polio, diphtheria, pertussis, and tetanus. Optional immunizations include flu and COVID-19. Medical exemptions may be accepted on an individual basis; inquiries should be sent to the Camp One Step medical team.
Health Insurance
Meeting the needs of participants is critical to their success at camp. Though we maintain high standards for health and safety while at camp, sometimes, accidents happen. Our medical team members are fully prepared to support your child’s needs, whether they are routine or occur unexpectedly, so having a copy of your health insurance information ensures that care takes place in a timely and efficient manner.
Health and Wellness
At Camp One Step
Taking care of your child is our top priority at camp. Showing campers the love and attention they receive at home is important when it comes to a fun and successful time at camp. We have a full team of medical professionals that range from nurses to doctors to other advanced healthcare professionals who manage your child’s needs, including ensuring a healthy camp experience and administering your child’s medications.
Thank you for partnering with us to make camp the healthiest it can be!
Making sure everyone comes to camp healthy through a quick health screening is an important safety strategy we implement for all in-person camps. Upon check in, you will meet with one of the medical team members, discuss current needs, and review medication schedules and dosage. Our medical team organizes all medications at the start of camp to ensure your child receives scheduled and as needed meds on a safe and consistent basis. Please send all medications in original prescription containers; over-the-counter medications are stocked at camp, so no need to send those along with your camper! Should an issue or illness arise while at camp, you will be contacted by a medical team member and a plan of action will be determined.
Camper wellness goes beyond just their physical health; supporting campers’ mental, emotional, and social health is just as important. Campers join from all different backgrounds, experiences, and places along their health journeys, and we believe camp should be a rejuvenating, healing experience. To help meet that goal, we ensure there is professional mental health support either on the ground at camp or available during camp sessions. Taking care of your child is about more than just their physical well being.
Packing Support
With the variety of activities and experiences provided at all of our camps, knowing what to pack can feel like a big task! We’re here to help. Specific packing recommendations for weather- or activity-specific items will be communicated in the weeks leading up to camp, but we’ve also compiled a list of general items that are great to bring to camp!
If you have questions about items on the packing lists or if your camper does not have a specific item, please contact a Camp One Step team member.
Packing Tips
for Campers
- Using luggage or a bag that has wheels makes it much easier for campers to move their items across campus.
- Label clothing and packed items – with multiple campers sharing a room, it helps speed up the pick up process at the end of camp!
- Some activities require specific clothing, like rock climbing and horseback riding requiring long pants and closed toed shoes. We will make sure you know about these activities before coming to camp!
- Spending money can sometimes be helpful, but is NOT required. We cover all the meals, snacks, and fun during camp, but there are times campers want to buy a souvenir on a field trip or purchase an extra special snack!
- Unless using a phone for pictures or a tablet or laptop for homework, we highly recommend campers leave electronic devices at home. Camp One Step is not responsible for lost or damaged devices. Fully engage while at camp and unplug from the outside world!
Transportation Information
Getting you to camp is important to us. We provide buses to and from certain camps, and if your family needs support with transportation for others, we’re here to help. Check out the transportation information below; if these plans do not meet your needs, let us know how we can get you to camp!
- Buses are provided from Chicago and Milwaukee to Sibling Camp, Summer Camp, Adventure Camp, Dude Ranch Camp, and Winter Camp, and then back home from those camps as well. Summer Camp has an additional bus option from/to Appleton during week two.
- Plane transportation is provided from Chicago O’Hare Airport to Salt Lake City Airport and back for Utah Ski Camp, as well as a bus from Milwaukee to Chicago before camp and a bus from Chicago to Milwaukee after camp. Plane transportation is also provided for the Washington D.C. Experience from an airport near you to D.C. and back.
Whether on a bus or a plane, Camp staff are right there with you! We make sure to have counselors and med staff alongside your child to help make the journey to camp an enjoyable and safe experience.
Everyone who wants to come to camp should have that opportunity; we love partnering with our families to find a way to get you to Camp. If you live outside the Chicago or Milwaukee areas and need support getting to camp, let’s get creative and work together to find a solution!
Camp One Step Contacts
We know there is a lot of information shared before, during, and after your child comes to camp. We love partnering with families to make sure we have all the information we need for your child to safely attend camp, and for you to have all the information you need to confidently send your child to camp. Here are some key individuals that will be reaching out to you after you apply; please save their contact information to avoid missed messages or emails getting sent to your spam folder.
In addition to the individuals listed here, you will also receive correspondence from volunteer program leadership. These emails will all come from a Camp One Step email account (@camponestep.org), so be on the lookout for those messages as well! For example, if you have signed your child up for Adventure Camp, you will receive emails from adventurecamp@camponestep.org.
Devin Ryan-Holanda – VP Camps & Experiences
Jessica Hopper – Director of Camps & Experiences
Lucy Burzynski – Manager of Camps & Experiences
Madeline Brown – Manager of Camps & Experiences
Susie Burke – Medical Director
Erin Senft - Medical Manager
Communication
We use a handful of tools to support every family in accessing Camp. Whether contact is made via email or phone, we put together a list for you to be on the lookout for as you prepare to send your child to camp!
- Emails (both from Camp staff & volunteers, as well as directly from UltraCamp)
- Phone Calls
- Texts
- Camp One Step App Notifications
- UltraCamp e-Blasts
- Mailed Fliers
Camper Handbook
It’s important to us that your child has the best experience possible, so we recommend each family review our Camper Handbook. Not only does this help prepare your child for being at camp, but it’s also a great resource before, during, and after camp!
