Mission & History

Our Mission

The mission of Indian Summer Camp is to enhance the quality of life for children with cancer and their families through our camp and recreational programs.

Our History

Indian Summer Camp was started in 1981 as a joint effort between a group of volunteers in the Lake Cumberland area & the Kentucky Cancer Program. Their vision was to provide a "normal” camping experience for children with cancer. This was a very novel idea at the time; since there were only 5 other oncology camps across the country.

During the first summer, 20 campers attended camp. These 20 campers were both oncology patients and their siblings. There were 30 volunteer staff including doctors & nurses from the University of Kentucky.

Indian Summer Camp continued to grow, and in 1994, it was established as an independent registered 501©3 non-profit organization under the guidance of the Friends of Indian Summer, Inc. Board of Directors.

Indian Summer Camp marked their 30th Anniversary in 2011 and approximately 100 children attended camp. To commemorate the 30th Anniversary, a new program called "Quarterly Events” was started. In an effort to address the unique needs of childhood cancer patients' family members, Indian Summer Camp will be expanding their programs over the coming years to include a sibling camp and a family retreat weekend.