Camp One Step by Children's Oncology Services

THE CAMP IS GOLD GALA IS SOLD OUT!

We are beyond excited to share that the 2026 Camp is Gold Gala is officially SOLD OUT! When upgraded tables and sponsorships opened on August 12, we knew there was excitement around this year’s Gala, but we could not have anticipated this incredible response. We sold out through table sales alone!

This is such a meaningful reflection of the incredible Camp One Step community we are lucky to have. Your passion, generosity, and commitment to our campers continue to make a tremendous impact. Individual tickets and standard tables were scheduled to open today, but due to the overwhelming response, we will not be opening additional tickets at this time.

Want to join us? Our waitlist is now open! Email [email protected] with your name and number of guests you hope to bring. We will be working hard to welcome more of our community to the Gala.

We are so grateful for this community and the incredible momentum behind Camp One Step. Thank you to our sponsors, Arnold and Porter, Katten, Pretium, North Branch Capital, and Crew at the Helm for helping make this happen.

On July 18th, we had the joy of welcoming our friends from Big Bikes Helping Little Tykes to Camp One Step for their annual motorcycle ride to camp!

A huge thank you to Bill, Kevin, and every rider for your continued support and for raising funds that help send kids with cancer and their families to camp for free. Your generosity brings more laughter, connection, and moments of joy to families who need it most.

We are so grateful to have you as part of our Camp One Step family and can’t wait to welcome you back next year!

📍Adventure Camp

Thanks to your incredible generosity, the second annual One Swing for Camp One Step was an incredible success, raising more than $100,000 to help send children with cancer and their families to Camp One Step.

Your support gives kids and families the chance to swim, laugh, connect, and simply be kids in a place where they truly belong. You’re not just giving them a week at camp. You’re giving them community, hope, confidence, and memories that last a lifetime.

As our camper speaker, Brody, shared:
"Before my first camp, I honestly thought that because I had cancer, I wouldn't be able to do the same things other kids could do or have as much fun. Camp One Step completely changed that. It showed me that having cancer doesn't have to stop you from doing what you love, and that everyone can do amazing things."

Brody’s story is just one example of the life-changing impact your support makes possible.

Thank you for making One Swing for Camp One Step such a success.

We want to take a special moment to honor someone who has meant everything to this community. Our incredible Medical Director, Susie Burke, is officially retiring!

Susie began volunteering with Camp One Step in the 80s. Her passion and dedication would take her around the world, but she always came back to the Midwest, always came home to Camp.

For many years, Susie volunteered as medical staff at Camp One Step. She helped launch our Watersports program at Summer Camp and dedicated countless years to the growth of our Washington, D.C. program.

In 2018, Susie left her role at Children’s Wisconsin to join Camp One Step as our very first full-time Medical Director. She championed a decentralized medical office, where campers could spend more time enjoying activities and less time in the Medical Office. She charted new waters while navigating a global pandemic and then focused on developing a thriving MESH team to support our campers’ mental, emotional, and social health.

Susie built the medical foundation that this organization now stands on, giving every family the gift of trust and every camper the freedom to just be a kid, even in their hardest moments.

Susie, thank you for your incredible dedication, leadership, and love for Camp One Step. Thank you for every camper you kept safe, every family you reassured, and every volunteer you mentored along the way. We are so grateful for everything you have given to this community and wish you all the very best in retirement!

☀️🏕️🎗️✨

Every summer, we invite friends, supporters, and community partners to visit Summer Camp and experience what makes this place so special.

Some come for a tour, some jump into activities like arts and crafts or helping campers get ready for the dance, and others join us for dinner where they sing camp songs, learn silly chants, and cheer on campers as they celebrate their daily victories.

As one visitor shared:
“ We finally get to see where all those donations go, and it turns out they were converted into smiles, laughter, water sports, crafts, and enough colored flour to repaint a small town.”

To everyone who visited Camp One Step this summer, thank you for showing up, joining in the fun, and helping us celebrate the incredible campers who make this place so special. We hope you left with a full heart, a few new camp songs stuck in your head, and plenty of stories to share with friends and family.