Families of children with serious illnesses ‘rejuvenated’ after Camp Simcha retreat

For Deena Manson, the idea of getting her nails done or going on a date night with her husband is the last thing on her mind, as so much of her time is spent looking after one of her daughters, who has two very rare kidney diseases.

The mum of six is frequently in and out of hospital with 11-year-old Basya, but a Shabbat family retreat in Warwickshire, hosted by Camp Simcha, has left her feeling “rejuvenated …and stronger”.

The North Manchester resident said after the weekend: “We are in hospital very regularly because my daughter needs treatment every two weeks, so just to get away from all that for a few days made an unimaginable difference to us.

“Understandably, Basya gets more of my time and attention, but at Camp Simcha, every single one of my six children is made to feel special, with each having their own amazing volunteer.”

Deena said that before the retreat, her children were so excited about it that “they were all counting down to it, especially my two youngest ones”.

Basya and her sisters at the Camp Simcha Shabbat retreat (Photo: SF Imagery)[Missing Credit]

Camp Simcha supports children with a serious illness and their families. The three-day retreat welcomed nearly 200 Camp Simcha members from London, Manchester and Gateshead, giving them a break from their usual routine, which often entails frequent medical appointments.

Deena said that a highlight had been the dinner for two on the first night, followed by getting her nails done the next day. “I also did some art and spoke to the therapist. I hardly ever have a day that is just for me, and I felt so rejuvenated from it.”

What had been particularly helpful were the conversations she had with the Camp Simcha therapist and Rachely Plancey, the Camp Simcha head of family liaison. “They built me up and made me stronger,” said Deena.

In the past 12 months, some 400 Camp Simcha family members have attended one of the charity’s residential retreats.

The retreats include activities for children of all ages and their parents and a medical team on site.

Yedidya Manson and his Camp Simcha volunteer (Photo: SF Imagery)[Missing Credit]

On the Warwickshire retreat, one child wasn’t well enough to join the fun downstairs, so Camp Simcha took the party to their room.

Camp Simcha’s family liaison officer (FLO) Natalie Meyer said: "Our families look forward to our retreats for months beforehand, so it was heartbreaking for this child and their parents that they were unable to join in.

“At the Saturday evening concert, where families were delighted by the surprise appearance of singer Shloime Gertner, he heard the child was unwell and went up to give the family a special performance in their room. It really lifted their spirits and was all incredibly special."

Deena said that what she valued was the sense of community created by the retreats. “The wonderful thing about retreat is the friendships we have made with people who are going through something similar. We keep in touch throughout the year, not just when we see each other at Camp Simcha events. Having that community of people who can totally relate to what you are going through is so important.”