National Camp Program
Go on a virtual adventure with Camp Connections, an American Kidney Fund program in which children and teens living with kidney disease (and their families) can join monthly, virtual camp nights to find friendships, community and fun!
What is Camp Connections?
Camp Connections is a free, virtual camp program that provides a unique space for children, families and hospitals from across the United States to form bonds that might not have been possible otherwise. Camp Connections provides a monthly dose of fun for children and teens living with a chronic illness. Most importantly, Camp Connections lets kids living with kidney disease be kids!
Camp Connections offers children with kidney disease a chance to connect with and relate to their peers.
Children living with kidney disease or kidney failure spend an average of 8-14 days a year in the hospital, often missing school, extracurricular activities and social lives to receive critical health care. This can lead to an increased sense of social isolation and loneliness, on top of navigating the challenges of a life-altering disease. Camp Connections offers a break from these challenges and allows them a chance to connect with others who truly understand.
Each virtual camper receives a welcome bag from AKF as well as the supplies for each monthly activity – including (but not limited to) BINGO nights, art classes, STEM-related experiments and gingerbread house decorating.
I also think it is so awesome that you guys give me pizza and gift bags since we couldn't go to camp this year. I got to see my friends from camp on Zoom and play BINGO! Thank you so much! You also helped my mom not worry a lot about me so much. - Miles, Camper
Kids who attend Camp Connections leave feeling supported and uplifted.
Mental health concerns continue to be an issue for children and teens in the U.S., and research has shown a higher prevalence of depression in children and teens living with kidney disease. A 2023 survey of parents with children who attended AKF's Camp Connections program showed...
Bring virtual camp to your patients
Please contact us if you would like to bring virtual camp to the pediatric kidney patients at your children's hospital or center. There is no charge for centers to enroll their children in this camp, and no charge for the campers or their families.
As of August 2024, here are the centers taking part in AKF's National Camp Program:
- Johns Hopkins Children's Center
- Phoenix Children's Center
- Cincinnati Children's Center
- Stanford/Lucille Packard Children's
- Riley Children's at Indiana
- UPMC - Children's Pittsburgh
- Texas Children's Center
- Iowa Stead Children's
- Children's National Hospital
- Children's Hospital of the King's Daughters
- Boston Children's Hospital
- University of Minnesota Masonic Children's Hospital
- Children's Nebraska
- Doernbecher Children's Hospital
Enter your contact information:
I don't want to ever sign out of these zooms! This is the only time I can talk to people like me! - Trystian, Camper
97 cents of every donated dollar goes to patients and programs.
Every success, milestone and breakthrough we achieve for patients and their families depends on caring and generous people like you. Your gift goes further when you give to AKF.
97 cents of every donated dollar goes to patients and programs.
Camp Connections: Cystinosis is also a part of the American Kidney Fund's Camp Connections, Learn more here.
