Brazos Valley children battling cancer find summer fun, friendship at Camp Periwinkle

BURTON, Texas (KBTX) – For more than 40 years children battling cancer have found a haven at Camp Periwinkle, a free summer camp for young patients and their siblings.

For many children undergoing cancer treatment, spending a week at summer camp might not be possible. That dream becomes a reality at Camp Periwinkle by giving campers the chance to make lifelong memories alongside children like them.

With no cost to attend and the ability for campers to continue their treatment, summer fun becomes healing. It’s a nonstop week of fun and friendship that keeps campers like 12-year-old Gavin Garcia coming back every year.

“You get to make new friends, just awesome. Like, the whole thing is. I can’t describe it. It’s just awesome,” Gavin gushed.

That spirit of community is something head counselor Blake Lieberman told KBTX he wants his campers to find.

Lieberman was in their shoes for several years as a camper before becoming a counselor. Now, he serves on the advisory board of the Periwinkle Foundation. For him, it was more than just a summer camp. It was a life-changing experience.

“I wanted to be able to create some of the memories and experiences, that I had as a camper, for other kids who are fighting cancer, and their siblings,” shared Lieberman.

Many of Camp Periwinkle’s campers don’t attend school, or may be hospitalized or homebound.

According to Periwinkle Foundation executive director Doug Suggitt, healing isn’t just medical. Camp Periwinkle, he said, allows healing ‘on the psychological and emotional side.’

“As a matter of fact, we’ve got a camper here that just a couple days ago was in the hospital, is now here at camp, was on the high ropes yesterday,” said Suggitt.

At camp, these campers get to focus on just being a kid.

“Everybody here is just like them, going through similar experiences, and that really brings their spirits up and helps them,” Lieberman added.

Camp Periwinkle is held each year at Camp for All, a barrier-free campsite designed to be accessible to anyone who visits.