About the Project
“A Child’s Friend Through And Beyond A Parent’s Cancer”
What is Kesem?
Kesem is a nationwide community, driven by passionate college student leaders, that supports children through and beyond their parent’s cancer. Kesem is the largest national organization dedicated to supporting children impacted by a parent’s cancer, at no cost to families. Our innovative and fun-filled programs provide children with peers who understand their unique needs, and create long-lasting impact.
Why the Kesem Project?
Kesem focuses primarily on the campers’ stories and experiences, but some of the most beautiful and powerful stories left untold come from the counselors. The counselors of Kesem are its lifeblood, they are the support system that reaches out to the campers, the ones that chase after them every morning at camp, and the ones that console them as part of a greater family when tragedy strikes. But why do they do what they do?
The Kesem Project seeks to unearth the stories untold by further understanding why counselors of Camp Kesem are so passionate and involved with the program. Whether they are former Kesem campers or stumbled upon Kesem during their college career by chance or anywhere in between, the stories and memories that these counselors share are just as important when understanding what makes Kesem truly magical. Understanding the heart for Kesem that these counselors have is the first step into seeing why this community is “magic”.
Explore the stories of 14 student leaders and counselors from across the years as they share what Kesem means to them and take home some of the Kesem Magic yourself.
About the Photographer
Shaving for an Eggscellent cause: Giving Tuesday 2020 Fundraising Dare
Conrad "Splash” Liu is a Duke University senior studying Computer Science, Economics, and Documentary Studies. Having been in Camp Kesem throughout his entire undergraduate career, one question that remained pervasive throughout his involvement was “Why I Kesem?” The Kesem Project is both a self-reflective piece of his Kesem experience in addition to a celebration of how Kesem changes the lives of not only the campers and their families but the counselors as well.
In his spare time, Splash enjoys belly-flopping into pools, eating watermelon, and pondering life’s most important question, “Is water wet?”