Aug 5, 2008 6:52 am US/Eastern
Health: Healing Through Camp Erin
PHILADELPHIA (CBS 3) ―
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Camp Erin, sponsored by the Jamie Moyer Foundation, is for children who have lost loved ones.
CBS
Helping kids cope with the loss of a loved one. Grieving the death of a parent or sibling can be overwhelming for them. Medical Reporter Stephanie Stahl has details on an upcoming event in Bucks County that turns their tears to smiles.
Sarah and Kevin Milligan have fun playing and just being kids together. But they also share a heart breaking tragedy. Their lives turned upside down when their little brother Kyle passed away three years ago from cancer. He was just seven.
"It was very sad," said Kevin.
The grief is still raw and difficult to express. But there is one place where his pain doesn't feel so awkward.
Camp Erin is for children who have lost loved ones. It's sponsored by the Jamie Moyer Foundation. The Phillies pitcher named the camp for a young cancer victim who was a fan and became a friend.
"It makes me feel like there's people have gone thru it too, you don't feel alone and like it happens to other people too," said Sarah.
At Camp Erin, they share memories and sad stories, but mostly it's about having fun, playing games, and being happy.
"I thought of the good times instead of the bad," said Kevin.
"It's about normalizing grief for these kids," said Stephen Phillips, a bereavement counselor at Camp Erin.
The Milligan's were at Camp Erin for its opening last year, and are looking forward to going back.
It will soothe themselves and other kids with that special, but awful bond.
"You get to have fun with people that feel the same way," said Kevin.
"They really understand you better and you understand them better," said Sarah.
Camp Erin is August 15-17. It's expanding to 100 kids this year, and there are few more openings.
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