THUNDER BAY -- Noah Bertoni has made so many friends through Camp Quality he can’t even keep track.
He was one of about 20 Camp Quality kids along with their siblings, parents and volunteers who enjoyed a full day of activities in the organization’s annual Winter Reunion, which kicked off Saturday morning at Prince Arthur’s Landing.
“We hang out and it keeps us having fun. We have lots of things in common,” he said.
“We have this awesome reunion every year. We do tubing, skiing and skating with fireworks. It’s an awesome place to be.”
Noah's brother Lucas was diagnosed with a form of leukemia when he was just eight months old and since then has been through a number of treatments.
He said his favourite winter activity is skiing, which he enjoys doing with his companion. Each Camp Quality camper is paired with a volunteer camper during their summer camp and are encouraged to remain in contact with them throughout the year.
His mother, Stephanie, said the network of support the family has been able to access through Camp Quality has been vital.
Being able to lean on people who know what it is like to have a child battle cancer is a huge help.
“We have lifelong friends through Camp Quality and people we’ve met through the years. Everybody helps each other get through the hard times and have all experienced the same types of things,” she said.
Her favourite part is seeing Noah and the other kids doing activities that other kids view as normal, such as skating and skiing, that they weren’t able to do while going through treatment.
It’s something she doesn’t take for granted.
“Being able to come to these events every year gives the kids a chance to have fun and forget about what they’ve gone through,” she said. “It’s nice to see the kids let loose and just be kids and enjoy the activities together and see the friendships that grow throughout the year.”
More information about Camp Quality can be found on their website.
