Bator Tabor, the charity that organises summer camps for seriously ill children from all over Central Europe, is now accepting applications from the Czech Republic for its summer 2015 camps. Registration is open until Saturday, 14th March. The camps are a safe place for children aged 7-18 who suffer from ailments such as cancer, diabetes or haemophilia, and the experience is free of charge, and features constant but invisible medical supervision so that the children can completely forget about their illness.
Bátor Tábor was established in Hungary in 2001 to offer complex therapeutic recreation programs for seriously ill children and their families. In the summer, Bator Tabor offers camps for children, and in the spring and fall it offers camps for the whole family, and another for siblings, free of charge. Every year, Bator Tabor welcomes over 1000 campers who can participate in programs that they otherwise might miss out on due to their illnesses. Campers enjoy rowing, horseback riding, archery, arts & crafts, dancing, music, sports, acting, high-ropes courses and more, providing a feeling of success that positively influences their self-esteem and recovery process. In the past 14 years, thanks to the cooperation of the hospitals, over 6000 campers have attended the camps.
Bátor Tábor is a member of the international Serious Fun Children’s Network that was started more than 25 years ago by the late and great Academy Award-winning actor, Paul Newman. The international camp association has 16 members all over the world, each treating children with chronic illnesses through therapeutic recreation. The camps rely on charitable donations and volunteers to keep them up and running, plus the organisers are involved in a number of fund-raising campaigns that include, in the Czech Republic, the “Tym Odvahy” charity running programme that helps to fund those children from the Czech Republic that would like to attend the camps.
Katarína Koščíková , the Manager of Development for Bator Tabor, commented on the upcoming summer camps: “We are so pleased to be able to continue this project again this year. The day-to-day lives of these children are too often centred round their illness, so they don’t often have a chance to be carefree and enjoy their childhood. The goal of these camps is to provide a safe and loving environment for the children, with constant but invisible medical attention so that they can stop thinking about their illness and just focus on being kids! As one camper so expertly put it: “Bator Tabor is like a machine; achild is thrown in, and a healthier, happier and more courageous child comes out!” This clearly shows that Bator Tabor changes substantially changes lives, and it is so rewarding to see that in the smiles on all of the campers’ faces. We hope to continue to welcome children from the Czech Republic for years to come.”
The next international camps will run from 27 June to 4 July (teenagers from 13-18 years old) and from 25 July to 1 August (children from 7-13 years old). In the Czech Republic, registration can be made through the Motol hospital in Prague (KDHO Fakultni nemocnice Motol), or Detska Nemocnice in Brno (Detska Nemocnice Cernopolni 9). Children currently undergoing treatment, such as chemotherapy, or children whose last treatment was less than five years ago, are welcome to register for the camp. Children under palliative treatment are also welcome upon prior agreement with the camp’s medical director.
To donate to Bator Tabor, and for more information, please visit www.batortabor.cz
Contacts:
Endowment Fund Foundation Bator Tabor Czech Republic
Ing. Katarína Koščíková
Plaská 622/3
150 00 Prague 5
Czech Republic
Web: www.batortabor.cz
E-mail: [email protected]
Tel: +420 734 766 055
