Meet Ava & Luca
Camp provides a place where being different means fitting in – even in the face of uncertainty.
How A BRAVE SISTER AND BROTHER FOUND STRENGTH AND FREEDOM AT CAMP.
Ava was diagnosed with Leukemia at 2½ years old. Her diagnosis came after nine months of doctors’ visits for chronic ear infections and high fevers. She spent 13 weeks in the hospital, and just wanted to go home! Ava spent almost the next three years receiving chemotherapy treatments.
Fast forward five years, Ava’s little brother Luca was four years old at the time and started experiencing knee pain. After weeks of lab work, and an MRI, doctors confirmed he also
had Leukemia. Luca’s days of playing soccer were replaced with chemo treatments.
Both Ava and Luca struggled with chemo. Countless doctor visits, and constantly feeling sick, they lost the freedom to go outside and play with their friends. Both say they were teased because they lost their hair. It was a traumatic experience that left them fearful of everything.
Attending Camp Quality helped change that. At camp they could be themselves. They didn’t feel the need to hide their cancer, or their struggles. Today, they are fearless kids again, who can’t wait to go ziplining.
We honor and celebrate Ava and Luca, and their family for being courageous cancer warriors. Thank you for helping us fund camps like this one across the United States and Canada.
More Stories From Camp Heros
Meet Sara Beth
Camp gave her back control. Now she returns year after year as a councilor to pour love into the next generation of campers.
Meet Maggie
Diagnosed at four, she might not remember life before cancer, but she’ll never forget the love and hope camp gave her.
Meet Antonio
Stage four anaplastic large cell lymphoma – that’s a string of words that no 5 year old should have to rattle off.
