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Hugh Rennie all the time had a knack for bringing out one of the best in individuals. On the free camp he helped discovered for kids with most cancers, he made positive to acknowledge and have a good time every camper for one thing particular they’d achieved — whether or not it was consuming 10 pancakes, making one of the best bracelet, or efficiently getting up on a water ski. Each child felt valued and particular.

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“Dad actually believed that camp was a capability for teenagers to develop their confidence and have an understanding of who they’re as individuals,” stated his daughter, Katie Rennie.

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Her father additionally introduced out one of the best within the camp volunteers.

Alex Robertson nonetheless vividly remembers the cardboard he acquired from Rennie on his first day as a camp director at Camp Ooch, now known as Campfire Circle, 18 years in the past. It was full of encouraging phrases.

“He simply generated happiness and positivity, and actually seemed to convey one of the best out of these round him,” stated Robertson, who turned CEO in 2010. “Whether or not it was youngsters coming to the camp, volunteers attending the primary session, or different supporters.”

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Rennie joined the camp 4 a long time in the past with the objective of bringing therapeutic by happiness to kids with most cancers.

He died aged 81 on Jan. 2, 2022, after being recognized with terminal esophageal most cancers.

Campfire Circle is holding an open home occasion on July 29 to commemorate his legacy. Relations and associates will collect on the Muskoka camp close to Rosseau, Ont., to unveil a particular plaque celebrating his management and to mark the fortieth anniversary of Campfire Circle.

“It’s a stunning tribute to him,” stated Katie Rennie. She added that the occasion will acknowledge the “seed” her father planted when he helped set up the camp, and his ongoing influence.

“He needed the camp to proceed to succeed in extra newly recognized youngsters, and we proceed to do this to today,” stated Robertson.

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Campfire Circle is a year-round group that serves over 3,000 kids with most cancers, and their households, every year. It offers a variety of packages at hospitals, which deal with bringing enjoyable and distraction to youngsters staying in a single day or present process lengthy therapies, along with packages at its two in a single day campsites and different amenities for kids beneath 18 years previous.

The camp was based by a gaggle of board members at Ronald McDonald Home Toronto, together with Mary Pat Armstrong, Doug Biggar, Jeanne Gallagher, Peter Miller and Judy Tripp, in 1983. It was the primary of its sort in Canada. Rennie served as this system director within the first 12 months, bringing management and imaginative and prescient to the general expertise, and have become the longstanding camp director the next summer time. The inaugural summer time camp was hosted at Lake Couchiching in Geneva Park, spanning 5 days.

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Rennie performed a key function at first of the camp, overseeing its progress, serving to to ascertain a everlasting in a single day camp in Muskoka, and contributing to its attainment of charitable standing.

To start with, all of the employees have been volunteers, consisting of Rennie’s associates and colleagues, excluding the oncology nurses, who have been the one paid workers. Even immediately, Campfire Circle stays a volunteer-driven group.

“His greatest legacy is that we proceed to be volunteer-driven,” stated Robertson. “Our group continues to thrive on distinctive management and volunteers who wish to make a distinction within the lives of kids with most cancers.”

This summer time, the camp is supported by the devoted efforts of over 400 volunteers.

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Sarah Alexander, one of many volunteer camp docs, has been attending the camp virtually each summer time for the previous 16 years. The oncologist on the Hospital for Sick Kids in Toronto serves because the medical director and the chair of the medical advisory committee on the camp.

“For me, going to camp is an expertise of gaining again a few of that humour, enjoyable and pleasure simply by watching youngsters who’re resilient, having enjoyable, and navigating issues that aren’t a part of what occurs whenever you’re within the hospital or clinic,” stated Alexander.

“For a few of the youngsters and households, I feel that the camp experiences are form of legitimately transformational.”

The camp is designed to be accessible and inclusive for all youngsters, no matter their bodily limitations, she added. “Being in a really medical secure place, however not having your medical state of affairs outline what you may and may’t do.”

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The Muskoka website is the one in a single day camp in Canada geared up to offer on-site intravenous chemotherapy and blood transfusions at their infirmary facility, often called the “Med Shed,” which is staffed by health-care employees with experience in each pediatric care and oncology.

“We actually attempt to present a normalized expertise for teenagers,” Robertson stated.

“We take youngsters on canoe journeys to Algonquin Park,” he stated, explaining that they’ve an oncology nurse accompanying them for medical assist, “in order that they will neglect in regards to the most cancers half and actually deal with being a baby.”

Children present process most cancers therapy typically appear unhappy and quiet, Alexander stated. Nonetheless, after they return from camp, she sees them “sporting their camp lanyard and camp T-shirt, with a newfound bounce of their step, a sparkle of their eyes, and a brand new confidence gained.”

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As soon as campers, lots of them return as volunteers on the camp.

For fogeys of sick youngsters, the camp brings consolation and a way of normalcy in the course of the darkest days of most cancers therapy. Katie Rennie stated that she has heard mother and father say that even when their youngster died on the camp, they’d be OK as a result of, “He’ll die in his happiest place.”

She stated that after one other camper, who was recognized at 16 and have become severely ailing after attending the camp, died, his mom stated, “Probably the most superb factor was, due to camp, we bought to see a glimmer of who he might need been as an grownup.”

Her father additionally gave kids hope by the camp’s motto: “You fail provided that you fail to strive. Act as if it’s unimaginable to fail and will probably be.”

He additionally got here up with the camp cheer: “We’re pleased with you, say we’re pleased with you!”

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“When you’ve a eating corridor of 300 individuals cheering on the high of their lungs, it’s a actually lovely factor.” Robertson stated.

Within the household’s reminiscence, Rennie was “optimistic to a fault.”

“Dad lived life to the fullest,” his daughter stated. “Looking back, we realized that he was a really sick man for a really very long time and he by no means let that cease him.”

Even in his 70s, when he might barely go across the monitor twice, he insisted on taking part in The Sporting Life 10K, a yearly occasion that raised cash for Campfire Circle.

“I gotta be within the entrance,” Rennie all the time stated.

His optimism and positivity influenced everybody round him, whether or not they have been relations or campers.

On the final Christmas dinner earlier than his dying, Rennie handed on life classes to his grandchildren: “My fundamental philosophy in life was that in case you had something to provide anyone, it was your duty to provide it.”

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