Let's Talk Cincy: Meet the remarkable young adults who first met as kids a decade ago at Camp Joy
Updated: 7:30 PM EST Feb 26, 2022
>>I'VE ONLY MET ONE OTHER PERSON THAT HAS HAD MY TYPE OF CANCER AND THAT PERSON I'VE MET HERE. >> CAMP JOY, WHERE STRANGERS BECOME FAMILY. >>YOU DON'T REALLY KNOW HOW MUCH TIME YOU HAVE WITH THE ILLNESSES THAT WE HAVE. >> A JOURNEY OF FRIENDSHIP WHILE FACING LIFE THREATENING ILLNESSES. >> SOME OF US ARE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHERE WE'RE GOING IN LIFE. SOME OF US AREN'T EVEN 20 YEARS. SOME OF US DIDNT EVEN GET THE CHANCE TO MAKE IT TO 20-YEARS-OLD. >> A REUNION SOME DIDN'T EXPECT TO MAKE BUT MADE ALL THE DIFFERENCE. HOW THESE FRIENDS CONTINUE TO BE A LIGHT IN EACH OTHERS DARKEST MOMENTS, ON THIS SPECIAL EDITION OF LET'S TALK CINCY. FOR WLWT, THIS IS LET'S TALK CINCY. PRESENTED BY WESTERN & SOUTHERN FINANCIAL GROUP. COURTIS: CHILDHOOD IS MEANT TO BE CAREFREE. A TIME TO PLAY IN THE PARK OR RIDE BIKES. A TIME TO BE, JUST KIDS. WELCOME TO LET'S TALK CINCY, I'M COURTIS FULLER. THAT'S THE IDYLLIC PICTURE WE HOPE FOR ALL CHILDREN. UNFORTUNATELY, THAT IS NOT ALWAYS THE CASE. A GROUP OF KIDS FROM GREATER CINCINNATI, KENTUCKY AND OHIO, STARTED AN AMAZING JOURNEY A DECADE AGO. THEIR ILLNESSES TOOK THEM TO CAMP JOY IN WARREN COUNTY, A PLACE DEDICATED TO GIVING SICK KIDS A MOMENT TO EXPERIENCE THAT IDYLLIC PICTURE. THROUGH THE UPS AND DOWNS, THE JOYS AND HEARTBREAK, THE KIDS FORMED A BOND. A BOND THAT'S STRONGER TODAY AS THEY ARE NOW YOUNG ADULTS. THEY RECENTLY GATHERED AT CAMP JOY FOR A REUNION. A REUNION TO RENEW THEIR SPIRIT, AS ANOTHER MEMBER FACES A DEVASTATING DIAGNOSES. THEY INVITED US TO SHARE THEIR STORY. HERE IS WLWT NEWS 5 RICHARD CHILES. >>WE'RE BACK AT CAMP. AND IT'S JUST US. WE'RE ADULTS. IT'S WEIRD, BUT I'M REALLY HAPPY TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS. >>CAMP WAS A PLACE WE FELT WHEN WE WERE CHILDREN THAT WE COULD BE OURSELVES. ITS LIKE A HOME AWAY FROM HOME. >>THE ONLY TIME WE EVER REALLY SEE EACH OTHER AS WHEN WE'RE ATTENDING SOMEONE'S FUNERAL. ONE OF OUR FRIEND'S FUNERAL. IT'S THE ONLY TIME WE GET TO SEE EACH OTHER. SO THE FACT THAT WE GOT THIS TIME TOGETHER TO REALLY JUST MAKE GOOD MEMORIES. THAT'S ALL THAT WE'RE HERE FOR IS TO LAUGH AND HAVE FUN. AND THAT'S SO INCREDIBLE TO US BECAUSE USUALLY ALL OF OUR TIME TOGETHER IS REALLY, REALLY SAD AND IN THE TURMOIL OF THE SADDEST PART OF YOUR LIFE. >> FOR ERIANA, MIKIAYAH, CHRISTOPHER AND CAITLAIN, AND ALL OF THESE FRIENDS, THIS WEEKEND IS A REMINDER OF THE BEST TIMES OF THEIR LIVES. >> IT'S A HOME AWAY FROM HOME FOR US. WE CALL IT NEVERLAND, BECAUSE WE ALWAYS FEEL THAT WE CAN BE A KID HERE. WE CAN BE OURSELVES, AND WE KNOW THAT NO MATTER WHAT YOU ARE GOING THROUGH IN LIFE, WERE YOU ARE IN LIFE, THE PEOPLE THAT YOU MET HERE ARE GOING TO BE WITH YOU REGARDLESS. >> TAKE US THROUGH YOUR JOURNEY. >> I HAVE SICKLE CELL, TYPE SS - A GENETIC BLOOD DISORDER WHICH CAUSES PAIN THROUGH OUT THE BODY. SO WITH THAT I WAS PART OF THE HEMATOLOGY DIVISION WITHIN THE HOSPITAL. THAT'S HOW I GOT INTRODUCED TO CAMP. WHEN WE GOT HERE WE ALL CLICKED BECAUSE WE ALL WERE THE SAME. >> SO I GOT DIAGNOSED WITH RHABDO MAR SARCOMA ON HALLOWEEN IN 2006. SO IT'S IT'S A MUSCULAR TUMOR COURTIS: EACH OF THESE 20 SOMETHINGS WAS DIAGNOSED WITH CANCER, OR A BLOOD DISEASE AS A CHILD. EACH OF THEM HAS FACED A DAUNTING DIAGNOSIS. THINKING THEY WERE THE ONLY CHILD WHO WAS FIGHTING FOR THEIR LIVES. EACH OF THEM FOUND SOMETHING SPECIAL IN ONE ANOTHER. >> WHEN YOU COME TO CAMP, THEY ARE KIDS JUST LIKE YOU THEY UNDERSTAND. COURTIS: ABOUT 10 YEARS AGO, THEY CAME TO CAMP JOY FOR THE FIRST TIME. LIKE MOST OF THE CAMPERS, MAKIYA HAS SPENT MUCH OF HER LIFE IN HOSPITAL ROOMS AMONGST HER FRIENDS, SHE SAYS SHE IS ONE OF THE LUCKY ONES. >> I FEEL THAT NOT MANY PEOPLE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET PEOPLE THAT ARE JUST LIKE THEM. WHETHER YOU'VE HAD, ANY PERSON YOU CAN CONNECT WITH ON A DIFFERENT LEVEL. >> THAT DIFFERENT LEVEL HAS BEEN THE DIFFEENCE IN LIFE AND DEATH SINCE MANY OF THESE FRIENDS WERE VERY YOUNG. A DIFFERENCE THEY KNOW WILL STILL ONEDAY TAKE SOME OF THEIR LIVES. THEIR FRIEND NICK IS FACING THAT FIGHT RIGHT NOW. IT'S A FIGHT SOME OF THE FRIENDS HAVE NOT WON. IT IS A FIGHT THAT SOME OF THE FRIENDS HAVE NOT ONE. -- WON. >> WE'VE GONE THROUGH SO MUCH THROUGH OUT OUR CHILDHOOD, AND WHEN GET TOGETHER ITS ALL JOKES. BETHANY CAME HOME FOR THIS CAMP REUNION WITH HER BROTHER ANDREW. GROWING UP, YOU FEEL LIKE YOU GO THROUGH THINGS ALONE. WITH BEING SO YOUNG, HAVING CANCER, AND COMING TO CAMP, THE CANCER I HAD IS VERY RARE. SO I'VE ONLY MET ONE OTHER PERSON THAT HAD MY TYPE OF CANCER, AND THAT PERSON I MET HERE. SO YOU JUST ALWAYS LOOK FORWARD TO GOING BACK AND SEEING YOUR FRIENDS AND KNOWING THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO HIDE YOUR ILLNESSES. YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE AFRAID. I HAVE DIABETES. NOT JUST THE CANCER. I HAVE DIABETES. I DON'T HAVE TO BE AFRAID TO DO ANYTHING BECAUSE EVERYBODY KNOWS WHAT YOU GO THROUGH. YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE ASHAMED OF ANYTHING HERE. COURTIS: WHAT DO THESE FRIENDS MEAN TO YOU? >> THEY ARE NOT FRIENDS, THEY ARE FAMILY, FOR SURE. COURTIS: FRIENDSHIP AND FAMILY ARE A POWERFUL COMBINATION. IT HAS HELPED THESE CAMPERS GET THROUGH SOME DIFFICULT TIMES. UP NEXT, SHE IS AFFECTIONATELY KNOWN AS MAMA BEAR TO THE GROUP. THE WISDOM MIKIYAH. >> WE FINALLY GOT TO DO WHAT WE ALWAYS SAID WE WANTED TO DO. WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IT FOREVER TO ALL COME BACK HERE TOGETHER AS ADULTS. AND HAVE A REUNION. WE FINALLY GOT TO DO IT. COURTIS: THEY FINALLY GOT IT DONE, IN LARGE PART, BY THE EFFORTS OF MIKIYAH BUTLER. MIKIYAH IS AFFECTIONATELY CALLED MAMA BEAR BY THE REST OF THE GROUP. SHE IS THE GLUE THAT HOLDS AN ALREADY STRONG FAMILY, TIGHTER TOGETHER. MIKIYAH IS THE STEADY HAND DURING GOOD AND BAD TIMES SHE SHARES HER JOURNEY WITH RICHARD CHILES. >> ITS NOT FAIR. BUT ITS LIFE. PEOPLE ALWAYS SAY YOU'RE GOING TO DIE AT SOME POINT, AND ITS TRUE, EVERYBODY DIES BUT FOR US AT SOME POINT, WHEN DOES IT END, WE HAVE MORE PEOPLE WHO WEREN'T IN OUR CORE GROUP WHO HAVE ALSO PASSED AWAY. RICHARD: THOSE DEATHS, MIKIAYA AND THE OTHERS SAY THEY CARRY WITH THEM, PERHAPS MAKING THEM STRONGER. >> YOU GET THAT CALL AND ITS JUST LIKE, WHY? I DON'T WANT TO SAY WHY US, BUT I FEEL LIKE THERE IS A REASON IT WAS US, BECAUSE WE CAN TAKE IT IF THAT MAKES SENSE. RICHARD: BUT IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE THAT THESE FRIENDS HAVE HAD TO FACE SO MUCH DEATH, . >> WE HAVE EACH OTHER. AND WE ARE ABLE TO WORK THROUGH IT WITH EACH OTHER AND WE CAN HANDLE IT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. RICHARD: BEHIND THAT LAUGHTER, MIKIAYA BUTLER HAS UNDERGONE MULTIPLE TREATMENTS, CHEMOTHERAPY, STEM CELL AND BLOOD TRANSFUSIONS. THE LAUGHTER AND THE TOUGHNESS HAVE BECOME A SHIELD FOR HER AND THESE FRIENDS, AND TOGETHER THEY'VE FOUND PUROPOSE. >> ONCE PER WEEK, EVERY SUMMER, BEST WEEK OF YOUR LIFE, BEST WEEK YOU ARE GOING TO LIVE. OUR FAVORITE CAMP TRADITION IS WISH STICKS WHERE YOU WRITE A LITTLE MESSAGE ON A STICK AND TOSS IT IN THE FIRE. AND THE LAST WISH STICK I EVER READ AS A CAMPER SAID DON'T WAIST A MOMENT. AND THAT STOOD OUT TO ME SIMPLY BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE WE DON'T WAIST ANY MOMENTS THAT ARE GIVEN TO US, AND ANDREA AND ZINIA DIDN'T WASTE ANY MOMENTS THAT WERE GIVEN TO THEM. COURTIS: MIKIYAH SAYS DESPITE THE REALLY DIFFICULT DAYS, THE GROUP LOVES TO HAVE FUN. THEY JOKE WITH ONE ANOTHER AND LOVE TO DANCE. IN FACT, SHE TOLD US THE REUNION WAS A CHANCE FOR THEM TO DANCE TO THE MUSIC THEY LOVE. STILL TO COME, >> A FRIENDSHIP FOREST FROM POPPET -- A FRIENDSHIP FORGED FROM POSITIVITY. >>YOU JUST NEVER KNOW WHICH ONE >>YOU JUST NEVER KNOW WHICH ONE WHICH ONE OF US IS GOING TO BE NEXT IN THAT WE JUST TRY TO CHERISH EVERY MOMENT WITH EACH OTHER JUST FOR THAT REASON CUZ YOU JUST YOU NEVER KNOW THE LAST TIME THIS COULD BE THE LAST TIME WE SEE EACH OTHER. COURTIS: DEALING WITH THE PROSPECT OF DEATH IS PRETTY DIFFICULT STUFF. WE ALL HOPE TO LIVE A LONG LIFE. BUT FACING DEATH IS THE CASE FOR SOME CAMP JOY KIDS. THAT'S A HEAVY BURDEN NO ONE SHOULD HAVE TO BEAR, AS YOU ARE ABOUT TO HEAR. >> THINK ABOUT ME WHENEVER YOU SEE THOSE STARS IN THE SKY. >> IT IS A FAMILIAR LOSS, ONE THEY SAY THEY HAVE FELT BEFORE. >> OH, SO IT'S HEARTBREAKING. BECAUSE TO ME, WE'RE JUST KIDS. SOME OF US ARE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHERE WE'RE GOING IN LIFE. SOME OF US AREN'T EVEN 20 YEARS. >> UNFAIR BUT NOT UNCERTAIN. KNOW LIKE BECAUSE OUR MAIN CONTACT WITH HIM WAS HIM. >> YOU KNOW, SO WE HAD TO FIGURE ALL THAT OUT TO BE ABLE TO PAY OUR RESPECTS TO OUR FRIEND AND WE DID WE ENDED UP MAKING IT TO THE TO THE SERVICE AND HAD WE WENT TO HIS FAVORITE FOOD WAS CHICKEN FRIED CHICKEN. SO WE WENT TO POPEYES AFTER WE CUT UP INTO POPEYES AND HAD TO APOLOGIZE TO THE FRONT DESK WHO WAS IN THERE CUTTING IT LIKE THAT. BUT IT'S HARD. IT'S HEARTBREAKING. HE WAS ONLY 20-YEARS-OLD WHEN HE PASSED AND THEN THE SECOND ONE SHE WAS ONLY 13 WHEN SHE PASSED HER NAME WAS ANYA AND SHE ALSO HAD SICKLE CELL AND HER BROTHER ZION IS ACTUALLY HERE WITH US AS WELL. HE HAS SICKLE CELL ALSO. SO, WE REAL CLOSE THAT'S LIKE MY BEST BEST BEST FRIEND. AND I REMEMBER THAT NIGHT HE GAVE ME THE CALL. HE WAS CRYING AND I'VE HEARD. WELL, HE SAID THE NIGHT IS GONE AND I JUST HAD TO I HAD TO HANG UP. LIKE I WAS LIKE, I'M GONNA CALL YOU BACK AND I CRY. AND THEN I GOT MYSELF TOGETHER AND I CALLED HIM BACK AND I SAID WHAT HAPPENED? HE SAID WE BOTH WENT IN FOR PAIN. I WENT INTO MY ROOM. I SEEN HER I WENT TO SLEEP AND WHEN I WOKE UP, SHE WAS GONE. RICHARD: THAT'S WHY CAMP JOY MEANS SO MUCH TO THEM TODAY, THE -- >> THE SUMMER OF 2008, I WAS 8-YEARS-OLD. IT WAS DIFFERENT BECAUSE I WAS STILL LIKE, I DIDN'T REALLY HAVE ANY HAIR. I THINK MY MOM WAS MORE NERVOUS THAN I WAS BECAUSE SHE DIDN'T JUST WAS BECAUSE WE LIVE SO FAR AWAY. AND SHE DIDN'T WANT TO SHE DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE AND I DIDN'T REALLY KNOW WHAT THIS PLACE WAS LIKE BECAUSE I'VE NEVER BEEN, BUT I LOVED THAT. RICHARD: CAITLIN JONES AND CHRISTOPHER GILBERT FOUND EACH OTHER IN THEIR CHILDHOOD CANCER, THEIR LOVE GREW INTO THIS BEAUTIFUL BABY GIRL. >> SO YOU'RE A FRESHMAN IN HIGH SCHOOL AND WE ACTUALLY HAD SOME MUTUAL FRIENDS. WE WERE ALL HANGING OUT BEFORE SCHOOL STARTED AND HE GOT TALKING WITH ONE OF HIS BUDDIES AND SAID, HEY, I GOT MY CANCER CHECKUP COMING UP IN A WEEK. OR TWO AND I WET MY HEAD AROUND I GO CANCER CHECKUP? WHAT KIND OF CANCER DID YOU HAVE? HE SAID, ACUTE LYMPHOBLASTIC LEUKEMIA. I WAS LIKE, OH, I HAD CHILDHOOD CANCER. I HAD OPTIC PATHAK LEIOMYOMA TUMOR, MY OPTIC NERVE IN MY LEFT EYE. AND I WAS LIKE, WHAT AGE DID YOU GET DIAGNOSED? AND HE SAID FOR I GOT PUT IN REMISSION AT EIGHT. I GOT DIAGNOSED AT SIX, PUT IN REMISSION AT EIGHT SO IT WAS KIND OF INTERESTING HOW YOU BOTH KIND OF FELL IN WITHIN THAT YEAR OF GETTING PUT IN REMISSION WITH BEING AT COMPLETELY DIFFERENT HOSPITALS AND COMPLETELY DIFFERENT STATES. HE WAS TREATED AT CINCINNATI CHILDREN'S I WAS TREATED AT ST. JUDE CHILDREN'S RESEARCH HOSPITAL IN MEMPHIS. AND WE'VE BEEN TOGETHER EVER SINCE WE'VE BEEN SOULMATES EVER SINCE IT'S REALLY NICE. YOU KNOW? PEOPLE CAN SAY THEY UNDERSTAND IT'S VERY NICE TO BE SYMPATHETIC, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT TWO PEOPLE ARE ONLY TRYING TO DO BUT WE REALLY UNDERSTAND WE GET TO SIT WITH EACH OTHER AT OUR DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENT AND HAVE SOMEBODY TO REALLY HOLD YOUR HAND AND SAY I UNDERSTAND THE FEAR EVEN THOUGH YOU'VE BEEN 10 YEARS IN REMISSION, STILL HAVE THAT FEAR, YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT'S GONNA COME BACK LIVING IN THIS MOMENT FOR AS -- WE WERE BLESSED WITH A BABY GIRL. WE GET TO LIVE OUR LIFE COMPLETELY FINE AND HEALTHY. RICHARD: LIVING IN THIS MOMENT FOR AS LONG AS THEY CAN, COMING BACK TO CAMP JOY IS A CELEBRATION OF LIFE. EVEN THOUGH THEY KNOW MORE THAN MOST OF US THAT LONG LIFE IS NOT PROMISE. >> WE DO NOT WASTE ANY MOMENTS THAT ARE GIVEN TO US. THE NIGHT AND NEVER WASTED ANY MOMENTS GIVEN TO THEM. RICHARD: WHAT DO YOU SAY TO THEM? >> WE LOVE THEM. COURTIS: NOT WASTING ANY MOMENTS. AN INCREDIBLE MESSAGE FOR THOSE IN THE GROUP. IF YOU LOOK UP THE DEFINITION OF FRIENDSHIP, ONE DEFINITION IS A STATE OF MUTUAL SUPPORT. THAT DESCRIBES MORGAN AND JORDAN, WHOSE FRIENDSHIP BEGAN AT CAMP JOY A DECADE AGO. THEY TALKED WITH RICHARD CHILES ABOUT THEIR FRIENDSHIP, AND HOW THEIR ILLNESSES ARE GUIDING THEIR FUTURE. >> WE'VE BEEN FRIENDS SINCE 2012 2012. WE GOT PUT IN THE SAME EVERY YEAR. >> SO WE COULD DRIVE CAN WE COULD DRIVE WE WERE LIKE, OK, NOW WE CAN ACTUALLY SEE EACH OTHER. WE LIVE 20 MINUTES AWAY, BUT WE SHOULD HANG OUT ALL THE TIME. SO WE DID ALL THE TIME. RICHARD: YOU FIND EACH OTHER IN THIS CITY, IN THIS WORLD. I AM SURE AT SEVEN OR EIGHT, YOU'RE GOING THROUGH SOMETHING THAT MAKES YOU FEEL SO ALONE. WHERE WERE YOU BEFORE YOU MET EACH OTHER? WHAT WAS IT LIKE? >> I HAD OTHER FRIENDS WHO HAD CANCER AND STUFF, BUT I WAS THE ONLY ONE WHO I KNEW WHO HAD LIMITED MOTION BECAUSE OF IT. AND THEN JORDAN AND I MET AND WE WERE THE ONLY ONES REALLY WITH THE SAME TYPE OF HUMOR WHO WERE LIKE IMMEDIATELY COMFORTABLE ENOUGH TO JOKE ABOUT, LIKE ME HAVING CANCER AND HER HAVING SICKLE CELL. SO IT JUST BECAME LIKE AN INSTANT BOND BECAUSE WE WERE BOTH ABLE TO LAUGH ABOUT OUR PROBLEMS TOGETHER. AND THAT WAS LIKE OUR WAY TO COPE WITH EACH OTHER FROM MY PERSPECTIVE. >> IT'S EASIER TO JUST LIVE WITH IT THE DISEASE WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE POSITIVE SIDE OF THINGS. AND SO FOR ME WITH MY CONDITION, I JUMPED RIGHT INTO THAT I HAVE PARTIAL SICKLE CELL BECAUSE MY PAIN ISN'T NEARLY AS BAD AS THE OTHER PEOPLE YOU INTERVIEWED. SO I LOOK AT THINGS FROM LIKE A JOYFUL TIME LIKE IT COULD LEAD 10 TIMES WORSE SO YOU CAN POKE FUN AT IT HERE AND THERE AND MAKE JOKES ABOUT IT. BECAUSE YEAH, IT'S NOT THE BEST SITUATION TO BE IN BUT YOU COULD ALWAYS BE WORSE. RICHARD: YOUR CHILDHOOD SICKNESS IS KIND OF INSPIRED YOUR CAREERS . WHAT IS NEXT? >> FOR ME, IT'S PEDIATRIC NURSING, PROBABLY FOCUSING IN HEMATOLOGY AND ONCOLOGY, WHICH IS THE DEPART I WAS IN AND BEING ABLE TO JUST GET BACK I'VE HAD SO MANY NURSES WHO HAVE IMPACTED ME IN POSITIVE WAYS. SO I WANT TO BE ABLE TO GIVE BACK TO MY COMMUNITY BY DOING THE SAME THING. >> AND THEN I WANT TO BE A RADIOLOGISTS TECHNOLOGIST, SO I'LL BE TAKING IMAGES. I HAD BONE CANCER, SO THAT'S HOW IT WAS FOUND. AND I NOW H AVE A PROSTHETIC BONE FROM A SHOULDER TO MY ELBOW. SO SEEING JUST IMAGES TAKEN OF ME MY ENTIRE LIFE. IT JUST MAKES ME WANT TO GO AND HELP KIDS FIND THEIR CANCER SO THEY CAN GET CURED QUICKER, OR JUST TO MAKE SURE IT'S . RICHARD: REACHING OUT TO KIDS TODAY, WHAT DO YOU TELL YOUR KIDS WHO WERE IN THE SAME PLACE YOU ARE FOR OR FIVE YEARS AGO. >> EVERYONE HERE HAS SOMEONE LIKE THEM. RICHARD: EVERYBODY I'VE MET HAS SUCH A WONDERFUL OUTLOOK. YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN THE BEST PEOPLE I THINK WE HAD A CHANCE TO BE AROUND. IS THAT BECAUSE YOU DON'T SO MUCH YOU KNOW? WHAT DO YOU TELL PEOPLE TO LIVE LIKE EVERYDAY MATTERS? >> NO ONE HAS MADE IT TO THE AGE OF 24, 25. SO THE FACT THAT LIFE IS JUST SO SHORT, YOU HAVE TO LIVE LIKE YOU'RE WOULD IF YOU DON'T WAKE UP TOMORROW. YOU HAVE TO CHERISH EVERY POSSIBLE MOMENT AND JUST UNDERSTAND THAT IT COULD BE YOUR LAST SO TELL PEOPLE YOU LOVE THEM. HANG OUT WITH YOUR FRIENDS LAUGH, DO EVERYTHING YOU COULD DO ON A DAY BECAUSE IT ALL MATTERS. SO NONE OF US HAVE LIKE MADE IT TO AGE 24 WE'VE LOST ONE OF OUR FRIENDS WHO PASSED AWAY HIS NAME WAS RAY AND HE WAS HE WAS 19 HE WAS 19 AND OTHER FRIENDS ANYA, WHO'S ACTUALLY HERE RIGHT NOW. HIS LITTLE SISTER. SHE PASSED AWAY AT 14 OR 15. I MEAN, WE'VE LOST TWO PEOPLE NOW AND THEN OUR FRIEND BEING DIAGNOSED WITH A BRAIN TUMOR. SO JUST TO BE AROUND EACH OTHER. I FEEL LIKE THAT DEFINITELY HELPS US HAVE SUCH A POSITIVE OUTLOOK ON LIFE BECAUSE WE APPRECIATE EVERYTHING SO MUCH. >> UP NEXT, WHAT THE PARTICIPANTS OF CAMP JOY WANT TO COURTIS: CAMP JOY IS A MAGICAL PLACE. A PLACE OF HOPE FOR CHILDREN FACING SERIOUS HEALTH CHALLENGES. WE'VE MET SOME REMARKABLE PEOPLE, WH ARE INSPIRING. >> WE WERE ALL TOLD AT ONE POINT IN OUR LIVES THAT WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO SEE THE ADULT SIDE OF OUR LIVES AND BE ABLE TO BE OUR OWN INDIVIDUALS INSTEAD OF JUST BEING OUR PARENTS CHILD. SO I THINK NOW THAT WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO BE ADULTS, WE HAVE A MUCH NEWFOUND APPRECIATION FOR THE LIFE THAT WE HAVE AND THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE HAVE. >> TO HAVE PEOPLE WHO YOU LITERALLY SPEND ONE WEEK NOT EVEN A FULL WEEK YOU SPEND FIVE DAYS IN A SUMMER WITH THESE PEOPLE AND TO JUST BE ABLE TO CLICK AND KNOW THAT THESE ARE YOUR PEOPLE. IF ANYTHING HAPPEND YOU CAN COME TO THESE PEOPLE AND IT'S JUST A SECOND FAMILY. >> YOU KNOW, HAVING THESE FRIENDS YOU NEVER REALLY GO THROUGH ANYTHING ALONE EVEN AFTER YOU KNOW YOUR CANCER FREE. WE'RE ALWAYS THERE. FOR EACH OTHER. EVEN WHEN I GET SCANS, YOU KNOW? WE'RE ALWAYS IN THE GROUP CHAT LIKE, HEY, HOW'S IT GOING? LIKE, SO IT MEANS EVERYTHING. IT REALLY DOES MEAN EVERYTHING. COURTIS: THESE YOUNG PEOPLE ARE SO INSPIRING. THEY'VE FACED SERIOUS ILLNESSES SINCE CHILDHOOD BUT YET, THEY , ARE NOT BITTER. THEIR STORIES SHOULD GIVE US A LITTLE HOPE. HOPE THAT WE CAN ALL SEE THE LIGHT, WHEN WE'RE FACING DARK TIMES. WE WANT TO THANK CAMP JOY FOR ALLOWING US TO TELL THEIR STORY AND SHARE THEIR JOINING -- SHARE THEIR JOURNEY. WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK FOR ANOTHER EDITION OF LET'S TALK CINCY. ♪
I've only met one other person that has had my type of cancer and that the person I met here, Camp Joy where strangers become family. You don't really know how much time you have with the illnesses that we have a journey of friendship while facing life threatening illnesses. Some of us are Trying to figure out where we're going in life. Some of us aren't even 20 years old yet. Some of us didn't even get the chance to make it to 20 years old. A reunion some didn't expect to make but made all the difference how these friends continued to be a light in each other's darkest moments. On this special edition of let's talk cincy from WLWT, This is Let's Talk Cincy presented by western and Southern financial group. Put our financial strength behind you childhood should be a time to be carefree, Time to play in the park or ride bikes. A time to be just kids Welcome to Let's Talk Cincy. I'm Curtis fuller. That is the idyllic picture we hope for our Children. Unfortunately, that is not always the case. A group of Children from greater Cincinnati, Kentucky and Ohio started an amazing journey a decade ago. Their illnesses took them to camp Joy in Warren County, a place dedicated to giving sick kids a moment to experience that idyllic picture. Through the ups and downs. The joys and heartbreak. The kids formed a bond, a bond that's stronger today as they are now. Young adults. They recently gathered at camp Joy for a reunion. A reunion to renew their spirit. As another member faces, a devastating diagnosis. They invited us to share their story. Here's WLWT News five's richard child. We're back on camp and it's just us and we're adults and it's weird, but it's um, I'm really happy to be able to do this camp was a place for us when we were Children that we felt like we could be ourselves. And um, it's, it's like a home away from home. The only time we ever really see each other is when we're attending someone's funeral, one of our friend's funeral, it's the only time we get to see each other. So the fact that we got this time together to really just make good memories. That's all that we're here for is to laugh and have fun. That's so incredible to us because usually all of our time together is really, really sad and the turmoil of the saddest parts of your life, Christopher and Caitlin and all of these friends this weekend is a reminder of the best times of their lives. It's a home away from home for us. I mean, we call it Neverland because we feel like we can always be a kid here. Um, and we can be ourselves. Um, and we know that no matter what you're going through in life where you are in life, the people that you met here, they're going to be with you regardless of your group has been through a lot together and apart. Take us through some of your journey. I have sickle cell anemia type s um so pretty much what sickle cell is is a genetic blood disorder that causes pain throughout my body. Um and so with that, I was a part of the hematology oncology division in the hospitals, and that's how I got introduced to camp camp is a hematology oncology camp. So, um any disease that follows under that division was able to come to camp. When we got here, we all pretty much just clicked because we were all wanted the same. So, I got diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis sarcoma on Halloween in 2000 and six. It's it's a muscular tumor. Each of these twentysomethings was diagnosed with cancer or a blood disease as a child, each of them has faced a daunting diagnosis, thinking they were the only child who was fighting for their lives. Each of them found something special In one another. But when we come to camping, like I said, there's the kids that are just like you, they understand about 10 years ago, they came to camp joy for the first time. Like most of these campers, Makayla spent much of her life in hospital rooms amongst her friends. She says she's one of the lucky ones. I feel like not many people have the opportunity to meet people that are just like that, whether it's you've had bad experiences in your life with abuse. Like anything, you know what I'm saying. Like any any person that you can connect with on a different level. That different level has been the difference in life and death since many of these friends were very young. It's a difference. They know will still one day take some of their lives. Their friend nick is facing that fight right now. It's a fight that some of the friends have not one we've gone through so much throughout our childhood. You know, and when we get together it's it's all jokes Bethenny came home for this camp reunion with her brother. Andrew growing up. You kind of feel like you go through things alone with being so young having cancer. You know, and coming to camp, you know the cancer that I had is very rare. And so um I've only met one other person that has had my type of cancer. And that person I've met here. Oh so you know, you kind of just always look forward to going back and seeing your friends and knowing that you don't really have to hide your illness is you don't have to be afraid of. You know, even I have diabetes, not even just the cancer I have diabetes and I don't have to be afraid to do anything because you know, everybody already knows what you're through. You don't have to be ashamed of anything here. What do these friends mean to you? Oh they're not friends. Their family for sure finish it. Mm hmm friendship and family a powerful combination. It has helped these campers get through some very difficult times up next. She's affectionately known as Mama Bear to the group. The wisdom Makayla Butler shares that keep spirits high just ahead on. Let's talk cincy. We finally got to do what we always said. We wanted to like at least like me and Kaya a lot like we've been talking about it for forever to be able to come back here all together as adults and have like our reunion and we finally got to do it. They finally got it done in large part by the efforts of Mackay A Butler. Makayla is affectionately called Mama Bear by the rest of this group. She is the glue. You might say that holds an already strong family together. Makhaya is the steady hand during good and bad times. She shares her journey now with Richard Childs. Is that it's not fair. What is life? Any any people always say, you know, you're gonna die at some point. You know and it's true. Everybody does. But at some point for us is when does it end? Because I felt like it started and then it just keeps going like we have other friends that weren't necessarily in our core group of people at camp that have also passed away those death McKay and the others say they carry with them perhaps making them stronger. You get that call and you're just like why I don't want to say why us because you know, I feel like everybody says why us, but there's a reason that it was us and I feel like it's because we can take it if that makes sense. But it doesn't make sense that these friends have to face so much death, we have each other and we're able to work through it with each other and we can handle it as much as possible. Behind that laughter, Makayla Butler has undergone multiple treatments, chemotherapy, stem cell and blood transfusions. The laughter and the toughness have become a shield for her and these friends and together they found purpose once a week, every summer, best week of your life, best week you're ever gonna live. Our favorite camp tradition is Wish Sticks where you write a little message on the stick and then we throw it in the fire at the beginning of the week and the last Wish stick I ever read as a camper said, don't waste a moment. And that stood out to me um simply because I feel like we don't waste any moments that are given to us and Andrea's and I have never wasted any moments that were given to them. Macchia says, despite the really difficult days. The group loves to have fun. They joke with one another and loved to dance. In fact, she told us the reunion was a chance for them to dance to the music. They love still to come, a friendship forged from positivity how to camp joy participants bonded while facing health crises, their story on let's talk cincy when we return, you just never know which one which one of us is going to be next. And you know, we just try to cherish every moment with each other just for that reason because we just, you never know the last time, this could be the last time we see each other dealing with the prospect of death is pretty difficult stuff. We all hope to live a long life, but facing death is the case for some camp joy kids. That's a heavy burden. No one should have to bear as you are about to hear, think about me whenever you see those, it's a familiar loss. It's one they say they felt before, it's heartbreaking because to me, we were just kids, some of us are Trying to figure out where we're going and like some of us aren't even 20 years old. Yes, unfair, but not uncertain. No, like because our main contact with him was him, you know, so we had to figure all that out to be able to pay our respects to our friend and we did, we ended up making it to the, to the service and um had, we went to his favorite food was chicken fried chicken. So we went to Popeyes after we cut up into Popeye's and I had to apologize to the front desk people that we was in there cutting up like that. Um But it's hard, it's heartbreaking. Um He was only 20 years old when he passed and then the second one um she was only 13 when she passed, her name was Anna and she also had sickle cell um and her brother Zion is actually here with us as well. Um He has sickle cell also, so um Zion we're real close, that's like my best best best friend. And I remember that night he gave me the call. Mhm and he was crying and I've heard his own crap like many times but this crowd was a different cry and I like I said I've known him for like a decade so I knew that something was wrong and he said Xenia is gone and I just had to I had to hang up like I was like I'm gonna call you back and I cried and then I got myself together and I called him back and I said what happened? And he said we both went there for pay. I went into my room, I seen her, I went to sleep and when I woke up she was gone, that's why camp joy means so much to them today. The rolling fields and pastures are a different world from the emergency rooms and critical care units these kids knew so well the summer of 2008 I was eight years old. Um It was different because I was still like, I didn't really have any hair, still, my hair was still growing back. And my mom, I think my mom was more nervous than I was because she didn't just was because we live so far away and she didn't want to, she didn't want to leave and I didn't really know what this place was like because I had never been, but I love that Caitlin jones and Christopher Gilbert found each other in their childhood cancer. Their love grew into this beautiful baby girl. So we were freshmen in high school and we actually had some mutual friends, we were all hanging out before school started and he got talking with one of his buddies and said, hey, I got my cancer checkup coming up in a week or two and I went my head around, I go cancer check up. What kind of cancer did you have? He said, acute lymphoblastic leukemia. And I was like, oh, I had childhood cancer. I had optic pathway glioma had a tumor on my optic nerve in my left eye. And I was like, what age did you get diagnosed? And he said four, I got put in remission at eight and I got diagnosed at six, put in remission at eight. So it was kind of interesting how he both kind of fell and within that year of getting put in remission with being at completely different hospitals and completely different states. He was treated at, since my Children, I was treated at ST jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis And we've been together ever since. We've been soul mates ever since. It's really nice. You know, people can say they understand and it's very nice to be sympathetic and I understand that's what people are only trying to do, but we really understand. We get to sit with each other at our doctor's appointment and have somebody to really hold your hand and say, I understand the fear even though you've been 10 years in remission still have that fear. You never know what's going to come back. So it's very nice and comforting to have him through my trials and tribulations and I think I can say vice versa with that. And uh now we have a beautiful daughter. We we were told at one point we may not even ever be able to have kids because of the treatment that we received while we had cancer. So we kind of walked through life not knowing what our future was gonna hold. And then we were blessed with a baby girl. Her name is Aspen and she's perfect. She's the light of our life. So um we just get to live our life completely fine and healthy here. Living in this moment for as long as they can coming back to camp joy as a celebration of life even though they know more than most of us that long life is not promised. I feel like we don't waste any moments that are given to us and Andrea's and I have never wasted any moments that were given to them. What do you say to nick? We love you. Not wasting a moment. An incredible message not lost on anyone in the group. Especially for two members. If you look up the meaning of friendship, one definition is a state of mutual trust and support. Well that certainly describes morgen and Jordan's whose friendship began at camp joy a decade ago. They talked with richard childs about their friendship and how their illnesses are guiding their future. We've been friends since 2012 for instance 2012. We were in the same cabin together and every year since we got put in the same cabin, yes, same side and everything and we didn't hang out. Well we would always talk to each other at camp and then like oh we're gonna hang out and then I think it was maybe our second to last year together. So we could drive because we could drive. We were like okay now we can actually see each other, we live 20 minutes away, like we should hang out all the time. So we didn't and we did all the time, Jordan and morgen have been finishing one another sentences ever since. Yes yes. You know I got to ask them to find each other at a camp or find each other in our city or just In this world where as a child by yourself, I mean, I'm sure seven or 8 or 11 you're going through something that makes you feel so alone. There's a question, what does that mean? I mean, you know, where were you before you met each other? What was it like, what were your, you know, what was it like? I mean, I had other friends, like, I don't know who had cancer and stuff, but I was the only one who I knew who had lived in emotion because of it. And then jordans and I met and we were the only ones really with the same type of humor who were like, immediately comfortable enough to joke about like me having cancer and her having sickle cell. So it just became like an instant bond because we were both able to laugh about our problems together and that was like our way to cope with each other. From my perspective, it's definitely, it's easier to just live with the disease when you're, you have to look at the positive side of things. And so for me with my condition, I we joke around and say that I have partial sickle cell because my pain isn't nearly as bad as the other people you've interviewed. So I look at things from like a joyful side of like, it could be 10 times worse. So you can poke fun at it here and there and make jokes about it because yeah, it's not the best situation to be in, but you could always be worse. Your illness is, your childhood sickness has kind of inspired your careers now. What's next to why? So for me it's pediatric nursing properly focusing in hematology and oncology, which is the department I was in and being able to just give back, I've had so many nurses who have impacted me in positive ways. So I want to be able to give back to my community and by doing the same thing and then I want to be a radiologist, technologist. So I'll be taking images. Um I have bone cancer, so that's how it was found and I now have a prosthetic bone for my shoulder to my elbow. So it's saying just images taken of me my entire life. It just makes me want to go and help kids find their cancer so they can get cured quicker, nervous to make sure it's reach out to kids today. What do you tell young kids who were in the same place? You all were four or five years ago, scared and served alone by themselves, go to camp, go to camp, find people who are like you, there's someone out there, you're not alone in this world. That's definitely a big thing and I feel like coming to camp, you realized like so many people are going through the same things that I am or they've been through the same things I am whether that's with an actual disease or it's just family situations. Everyone here has someone like them, Everybody I've met has such a wonderful outlook. Everything you guys have been the best people I think we've had a chance to be around. Um Is that because you've dealt with so much when you're young and you know what do you tell the rest of us who don't get it? Don't live like everyday matters. You have to live like everyday matters because in the blink of an eye can all be gone after what we've been through. We can't live in fear anymore. Now We none of us have made it to the age of 2024, 25. So the fact that life is just so short, you have to live like your what if you don't wake up tomorrow, you have to cherish every possible moment and just understand that it could be your last. So tell people you love them, hang out with your friends, laugh, do everything you could do in a day Because it all matters. So none of us have like made it to age 24. We've lost one of our friends, he passed away, his name was dre and he was He was 19, he was 19. Um another friend, Xenia who is one of our campus who's actually here right now. His little sister, her name was Anna and she passed away at 14 or 15, 14 or 15 In 2019 and 2019. So that's kind of the main reason we came, I mean we've lost two people now and then our front being being diagnosed with a brain tumor were like, we need to get a get together. We don't know who may not be here next year. It just, we don't know who's gonna be here in the summer. So just to be around each other, I feel like that definitely helps us have such a positive outlook on life because we appreciate everything so much up next, the lasting message, Camp Joy participants want to leave with you, Let's talk cincy, We'll be right back. Camp Joy is a magical place, a place of hope for Children facing serious health challenges. We've met some remarkable people whose spirit and resolve are inspiring. We were all told at one point of our lives that we may not be able to see the adult side of our lives and be able to be our own individuals instead of just being our parents child. So I think now that we have been able to be adults, we have a much newfound appreciation for the life that we have and the opportunities that we have to have people who you literally spend one week, not even a full week, you spend five days in a summer with these people and to just be able to click and know that these are your people. If anything happens, you can come to these people and it's just a second. We're second family. You know, having these friends, you you never really go through anything alone even after, you know, you're cancer free. We're always there for each other. Even when they get stands, you know, we're always in the group chat like, hey, how's it going? I'm good. So yeah, it means everything. It really doesn't mean. It's everything. These young people are so inspiring. They've faced serious illnesses since childhood but yet they are not bitter. Their stories should give all of us a little hope hope that we can also see the light when we are facing dark times. We want to thank them and camp joy for allowing us to tell their story and share their journey. And we also thank you for joining us. I'm Curtis fuller. We'll see you next week for another edition of Let's Talk Cincy. Mm hmm.
Let's Talk Cincy: Meet the remarkable young adults who first met as kids a decade ago at Camp Joy
Updated: 7:30 PM EST Feb 26, 2022
This special Let’s Talk Cincy shares the story of a remarkable group of young adults who first met as children a decade ago at Camp Joy in Warren County, Ohio.Camp Joy is a place where children facing life threatening illnesses can spend a least a few carefree days focused on just being kids.The bonds of friendship are so strong they consider themselves family. They share how their struggles with childhood cancer, sickle cell anemia and hemophilia have not deterred them from living life to the fullest. Their message of hope, resilience and love is inspiring.
This special Let’s Talk Cincy shares the story of a remarkable group of young adults who first met as children a decade ago at Camp Joy in Warren County, Ohio.
Camp Joy is a place where children facing life threatening illnesses can spend a least a few carefree days focused on just being kids.
The bonds of friendship are so strong they consider themselves family.
They share how their struggles with childhood cancer, sickle cell anemia and hemophilia have not deterred them from living life to the fullest. Their message of hope, resilience and love is inspiring.
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