Making the best of the Journey

POST FALLS — For a week each summer on South Ross Point Road in Post Falls is a place called Camp Journey.

To longtime camper and soon-to-be-counselor Michael Corcoran, it's "a slice of heaven on Earth."

"It's amazing," said Michael, 17. "Words can't even explain it."

Camp Journey is a summer camp for children ages 7-17 who have been diagnosed with cancer, who have had a bone marrow or stem cell transplant or who have completed cancer therapy.

Michael, who had a cancerous tumor removed from his bladder and abdomen when he was 5, knows exactly what these kids are going through because he was one of them.

"I see a lot of myself in them," he said. "That's what makes me have such a heart for them — because I can relate 100 percent."

At Camp Journey, youths with these serious conditions get to feel normal and do just what campers are supposed to: play games, swim, boat, kayak, archery, tell campfire stories, build crafts and more. Journey also has nine medical staff members including a medical doctor and nurses who actually take vacation time from their daily jobs to take good care of these kids.

"They get to be around kids and other people going through the same thing," said Journey counselor Nick Leonard. "They feel just like every other kid at camp. They get to come and enjoy our camp as if they didn’t have a medical condition."

Four years ago, Leonard, Brandon Bunch and Jake Bonwell realized what this camping experience means to these kids and decided to do something to make sure they can always have this experience. Leonard said it was about that time the American Cancer Association decided to close a majority of its camps because of funding cuts, so they created the Sweethearts Ball and, with the help of Justin Galletti, created a board and the nonprofit JRNY Inc. to keep the camp alive. The oncology camp — Camp Goodtimes East — closed, but Camp Journey became its new identity.

"We pay for all of these kids to come," Leonard said. "You see some of these families that drop these kids off and you can tell that there would be no way for them to do this with all the medical bills they have."

The Sweethearts Ball was held at The Coeur d'Alene Resort in April and welcomed 230 guests. The Kentucky Derby-themed evening of dining, dancing and auctions raised $50,000 to benefit Camp Journey and give every camper the opportunity to attend free of charge.

"I think it's just a beautiful thing, to be honest. People were really scared about whether this would be able to continue, not just for me but for the younger kids," Michael said. "Nick and his crew stepping up to the plate like they did, that's the most genuine thing a person could do."

On Tuesday, Camp Journey had a big check presentation with the staff, campers, donors and sponsors during visitors day. They celebrated the camp's success as well as the success of the Sweethearts Ball. In the last four years, $194,000 has been raised and 470 kids have been to the camp.

"It has always been a dream of mine to have a nonprofit and give back to my community," Leonard said. "Never did I think it would actually happen and that I would be a part of something so great. Being at camp really gives you an amazing perspective on life — seeing what these kids go through makes you realize how lucky you are to have your health and well-being, doesn't really leave much to complain about. I feel so lucky and blessed to be able to help these children and make this camp happen."