A diagnosis of pediatric cancer causes a child to grow up very fast. Often, carefree, joy-filled days of laugher and play with friends are taken away and replaced with isolation, appointments, and hospital stays. The opportunity to feel like a "regular" kid can disappear and be replaced with feelings of anxiety and embarrassment for being seen as different. Sky High Hope Camp is a magical and transforming place that provides these incredible children time and a community to put their worries aside and just be a kid.
OUR MISSION is to enrich the lives of children and teens with current or past cancer and their siblings through a one-week, Colorado outdoors-based summer camp. We understand how these conditions affect the entire family and welcome siblings of these children as well. Campers range in age from 8-18 and the cost to attend is free-of-charge to families. There is always medical staff on-site who are able to provide needed care and/or administer medications and chemotherapy.
Sky High Hope Camp offers a fun, safe, and adaptable program at the beautiful Sky Ranch Lutheran Camp located approximately two hours west of Ft. Collins. The facilities include cabins with electricity and bathrooms, an infirmary, a dining room, and a camp store.
Campers build on their self-esteem, self-confidence, social skills, and independence in this mountain setting. They make new friends or reconnect with old, establish new skills, often participate in new experiences like rock climbing or paddle boarding, and create positive memories that last a lifetime.
Activities include arts and crafts, nature studies, canoeing and fishing, low ropes course, volleyball, archery, a themed dance, camper skits and music, and much more. Campers are encouraged to participate in all activities, however, arrangements are made for individual needs and we do encourage challenge-by-choice.
Sky High Hope Camp is a certified member of the COCA-I (Children's Oncology Camping Association-International) Gold Ribbon Accreditation Program. This education program is intended to help COCA-I member camp organizations identify policies and practices, specific to their setting and population, that are documented and delivered in the course of providing a medically and emotionally safe pediatric oncology camp experience.
- Camp Directors -
Sky High Hope Camp is run by the tireless efforts of several people who put in countless hours throughout the year to make sure all I's are dotted and T's are crossed. All administrative, medical, and camp staff work entirely on a volunteer basis.
Becky Saad
Camp Director
Thomas Theodorescu
Assistant Camp Director
- Medical Staff -
Reid W.D. Farris, MD, MS
Associate Professor of Pediatric Critical Care Medicine at the University of Washington
Kristi K. Rodrigues, MD, MPH
Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Pediatric Emergency Department and Urgent Care at Denver Health
Mary Maltby, RN
Registered Nurse
at Denver Health
Jo O'Malia, CCRN
Retired Critical Care Nurse and Oncology Research
- Facility Information -
We're excited to announce that Sky High Hope Camp 2023 will be hosted at Sky Ranch Lutheran Camp located west of Fort Collins.
Physical address for camper mail during camp week:
Sky Ranch Lutheran Camp
ATTN: Sky High Hope Camp
805 S Shields St
Fort Collins, CO 80521
Or email camp@skyhighhope.org with your campers name in the subject line and we will be sure to get it to them.