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Why Support CQ?
Over 1,000 children and youth in Canada are diagnosed with cancer each year. With advances in research, over 84% of children are surviving. This is creating a growing population of childhood cancer survivors facing the long-term effects of their diagnosis and treatment.
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Children diagnosed with cancer are at risk of:
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Long-term cognitive and physical side effects
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Feelings of loneliness and social isolation
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Depression and anxiety
Childhood cancer impacts the whole family. Families are usually reduced to a single income so that one parent/caregiver can focus on caring for the child. The family participates less in their community as they work their life around the child’s treatment and care. And siblings of the child with cancer often feel isolated as life begins to revolve around the sick child. A childhood cancer diagnosis puts a significant amount of stress on the family.
This is where the magic of camp comes in.
Our free programs prepare children affected by cancer to thrive into their futures by addressing the psychosocial impacts of cancer. Our fun and meaningful social and recreational programs help campers foster a sense of autonomy, develop mastery and create opportunities for connectedness. Camp Quality creates a space where campers are no longer defined by illness, and instead have the freedom to participate in new activities, make friends and create memories that will last a lifetime.
CQ is committed to supporting each family as they face their own unique experience with childhood cancer. Our goal is to provide the families in our community with the opportunity to meet other families living with childhood cancer, strengthen family bonds and have Fun. Participating in activities as a family gives them the opportunity to create memories together outside of the cancer experience. Connecting with other families with similar provides families with emotional support needed throughout the cancer journey.
Our Programs
We have six camp communities: one in Alberta, one in Manitoba and four in Ontario (Eastern, Southern, Northern and Northwestern). Each community hosts a one-week overnight kids camp.
Each of our regional camp communities offers a variety of family programs like Family Fun Days, Camp Reunions and Family Camp. Family programs provide the families in our community with the opportunity to meet other families living with childhood cancer, strengthen family bonds and have fun.
We also offer three national programs that bring together participants from across the country:
New Heights, a teen leadership camp (ages 14-17) held in Southern Ontario, focused on self-discover, building connections and leadership skills.
Horizons is a young adult retreat (ages 18-25) for camp alumni to reflect on their journey, explore next steps and connect with peers through nature and share experience.
Camp-at-Home: Running once a month from September to May, offering campers (ages 5-17) a chance to join from home or hospital, for crafts, games, songs and laughs with friends across the country.
Our Reach
total Number of Campers and Volunteers
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"We have our own safe place here at camp, where we get to be ourselves, to be a little bit goofy, have fun, we get to break out of our shell" - 6th year camper
summer overnight kids camp (Year-over-Year)
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Measuring Success
Camp provides kids with improved social skills, improved self-esteem, independence and overall positive changes. These outcomes are measured qualitatively through conversations with campers and quantitatively through surveys that parents complete after camp. All of these psychosocial impacts prepare kids affected by cancer to be engaged and active members of the community.
We want to give as many kids as possible the camp experience to help them overcome the psychosocial impacts of cancer, and prepare them to participate in the community. By offering more kids the opportunity to attend camp, we can build a bigger and stronger community in which kids affected by cancer have a good quality of life and are set up to succeed in their futures. The impact that we have on the community is directly related to the number of community that we can send to camp, and we measure this impact by our registration numbers.
To learn more about our successes in 2024, click here.
"“My first time at Camp Quality was magical...I met some friends that I know will be a part of my life forever now! My camp experience couldn't [have] gone better in my opinion.” - Volunteer
training that empowers & Equips
Our volunteers are the heart of Camp Quality. They create safe, supportive environments where campers can try new things, make friends, build confidence and have a whole lot of fun along the way.
Since returning to in-person programming in 2022, it became clear that post-pandemic, incoming volunteers needed more support and training than in previous years. We’ve responded by evolving our approach and investing in the resources our volunteers need to thrive.
For 2025, our training program is Camp Champs: Empowering Leaders and Supporting Campers. This initiative focuses on balancing the complexity of running a medical speciality camp with the everyday skills required to be a positive role model for children affected by cancer. Our goal is to equip volunteers with the foundational skills to lead with confidence, compassion, and clarity.
Core to this approach are key competencies:
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Camper management
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Effective communication and conflict resolution
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Intentional programming
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Role modelling safety
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Teamwork and problem-solving
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Empathy and inclusion
To prepare volunteers thoroughly, we’ve built a comprehensive three-level training program:
1. Online Modules
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Self-paced and flexible, these modules cover general camp policies, childhood cancer knowledge, and role-specific information. Camp Quality monitors progress through a Learning Management System to ensure all volunteers are ready before arriving on site.
2. Half-Day Training
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This in-person session focuses on connection and practice. Volunteers engage in interactive workshops to address typical camp scenarios such as risk management, conflict resolution, and supporting difficult camper behaviour. The training emphasizes building an inclusive camp culture.
3. Onsite Training
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Volunteers receive an intentional camp tour, review health and safety protocols, practice emergency procedures in the actual spaces, and prepare to welcome campers. This hands-on training sets the stage for a safe, supportive camp experience from day one.
Our training model reflects our belief that confident, equipped volunteers create transformative camp experiences. When volunteers feel supported, they help build a community where campers, staff, and volunteers alike can grow, connect, and make unforgettable memories
Future Directions
Based on what we learned in 2024, in 2025 we are:
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Expanding volunteer training to include more resources on adaptive programming and tools to better support neurodiverse campers and those with complex needs, so every camper has the opportunity to thrive.
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Adding a Teen Program Specialist to our travel team to enhance and expand programming designed specifically for our teenage campers.
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Continuing to offer more Family Programs to give families the opportunity to connect and spend time together within the Camp Quality community.
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Deepening our understanding of Camp Quality’s impact through global collaboration. In 2024, we began working with Camp Quality programs in the USA, Australia, and New Zealand, along with a research team at the University of Sydney, to evaluate our program effectiveness and better understand the needs of our community. These collaborative research studies are underway in 2025.
our Strategic plan (2023-2028)
Over five years, guided by our strategic plan, our Board of Directors and Camp Quality Support Team will focus on what matters most by helping kids and families affected by childhood cancer thrive. Together, we are building a brighter, more hopeful future for everyone we serve.
Fun, safe & Inclusive programming
transparent fundraising
Operational Excellence
community driven connections
strengthening
brand recognition
strategic pillars and priorities
To learn more about our strategic plan and how we’re bringing it to life across Camp Quality, feel free to connect with our Executive Director, Fiona Fisher, at fiona@campquality.org.