June 23 - 28, 2025
Camp Bring It On is the region’s only residential camp for children with cancer or who are pediatric cancer survivors. We give these kids the chance to just be kids in a safe environment.
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You can rest easy knowing your child is having fun while never being far from the care they need.
Camp Bring It On is led by trained medical professionals from the Sanford Children’s Hospital. Our team includes pediatric oncologists, pediatric oncology nurses, child life specialists and a host of specially trained volunteers.
We work tirelessly to make sure each camper has a full camp experience while still meeting their medical needs.
Registration for 2025 begins February 1 and will close on May 1.
Sanford Children’s Camp Programs requires all campers to have a physical exam by their primary licensed medical provider within six months of the camp's starting date. Please print the medical evaluation document, have your child’s provider complete and sign it, and then return it to Sanford Children’s Camps.
If you have any questions, please reach out to Shane Hamilton at (605) 312-1029 or shane.hamilton@sanfordhealth.org.
Kids are eligible if they have or have had a cancer diagnosis. We accept kids from ages 7 through 17.
After a camper is deemed eligible, they must have the following information submitted before the communicated deadlines:
Registration will close once we hit our capacity of 64 campers.
We’re located at Joy Ranch. It’s about eight miles northwest of Watertown, South Dakota.
We recruit people who demonstrate responsibility, compassion, accountability and maturity. We also screen our team members through applications, interviews and background checks. Many of our hires are professional educators.
We keep our staff-to-camper ratio to around 1:8. At night, we require each cabin to have a trained team member present at all times.
Our programs are staffed by trained and licensed medical professionals. Our medical team includes a medical director and camp nurses. Our medical staff-to-camper ratio is about 1:15.
Each day of camp is filled with activities ranging from archery and paintball to swimming and fishing. We even offer horseback rides, camp dances and educational opportunities.
Every day will end with songs, skits and companionship around a traditional campfire.
We also offer meals tailored to each camper’s specific diet and allergies.
Campers should bring everything they need for a full week of overnight camp.
We recommend bringing hygiene products, clothing, swimwear, towels, bedding, a pillow, and all their medical equipment and medications. We ask that campers bring medications in the original bottles they received them in from their doctor or pharmacist.
We understand it may be difficult for parents and campers to be away from each other, especially if this is a camper’s first time away from home. We recommend parents and guardians write letters to their campers. This helps campers stay excited about camp and decreases their chances of homesickness.
From experience, we know that one of the best ways to manage homesickness is to prohibit cell phones at camp. No cell phones are allowed at camp.
If there are any concerns or emergencies at camp, our team will reach out to the contact we have on file as soon as possible. If families need to communicate with their camper, they can call the camp at (605) 312-1029.
We don’t allow visitors at camp except during emergencies. In such cases, parents or guardians must first contact our camp coordinator before their arrival.
The only exception to our visitor rule is a special parent program scheduled on the last day of camp for families of graduating senior campers. This program is a ceremony to celebrate our graduating campers’ achievements.
We’re proud of our partnership with Care Camps to provide a fun, renewing camp experience for kids with cancer. Camp Bring it On is also designated a Gold Ribbon Camp by the Children’s Oncology Camping Association International (COCA-I).
