Greater Southwest Chapter

Arizona

Camp Cruz 2009!

On June 12th, 2009 Camp Cruz came to an end as 86 campers got off the buses and ran into their parents' arms. Camp Cruz is an amazing week where children with Juvenile Arthritis and other autoimmune diseases come to have fun with kids just like them. Ranging from age 7-17, campers gathered at Camp Wamatochick in Prescott, Arizona to breathe in the fresh air and participate in camp activities such as horseback riding, team challenges, and of course, campfires.

On the last night at camp, campers gather around the traditional “Council Fire” to share memories of that week. Campers and counselors alike stood up and spoke about how much Camp Cruz means to them. One camper said, “This year I learned that there are lots of other kids who suffer through the same symptoms every day that I do and that having arthritis does not mean you have to be disabled.” These campers come to Camp Cruz to be with their friends, meet new people, and to be with other kids that know what they are going through.

Staff from the Phoenix Children’s Hospital Rheumatology Department came up to camp to help with the campers in the nurse’s cabin. We would like to thank Dr. Kaleo Ede, Dr. Michael Shishov and Debbie Carlin, RN for taking the time out of their busy schedules to come up to camp and help out!

We also want to thank the Camp Wamatochick staff. The counselors and program specialists at Camp Wamatochick were with the campers 24 hours a day. Camp Cruz could not have existed without their help. Thank you so much for all your time and patience!

Camp Cruz would not be possible without the generous support from our donors and sponsors. Each child receives a scholarship to attend Camp Cruz. If you would like to contribute to the Juvenile Arthritis Programs or sponsor a child to go to camp, attend “Salute!” a fun casual event to benefit our Juvenile Arthritis Programs, including Camp Cruz, Camp ILA (Imagine Life without Arthritis Family Retreat), and other social events for the families. Send a kid to camp! Click HERE for more information on Salute!

Click HERE to read about Camp Cruz in the Prescott Courier!

If you missed any of the blog updates from Camp Cruz, please click HERE to read all about the daily activities from the fun-filled week!

Stay tuned for more information on Camp ILA! Coming soon…

Our Mission

The mission of the Arthritis Foundation is to improve lives through leadership in the prevention, control and cure of arthritis and related diseases.

The Arthritis Foundation Greater Southwest Chapter, is dedicated to helping the more than 1.5 million people (or one in every five) including nearly 8,000 children, in Arizona, New Mexico and El Paso, Texas, who are affected by arthritis. We have three offices to help meet the needs of those we serve.

PHOENIX TUCSON NEW MEXICO/EL PASO, TX

Community Health Charities of Arizona

The purpose of Community Health Charities of Arizona is to raise funds on behalf of its member health charities through workplace payroll deduction campaigns - the most efficient and effective way of raising funds for charitable organizations. The affiliated health charities of Community Health Charities of Arizona are not United Way partner charities, which generally funds human and social service organizations, compared to our member health charities that are dedicated to finding a cause and cure for a specific illness, disability or disease.