History

A first for Maritime Canada
Camp Goodtime was founded in 1985 by Mrs. Estelle Forbes-Doucet, then oncology nurse coordinator at the former IWK Children’s Hospital. Through years of experience, Mrs. Forbes-Doucet knew first-hand that social skills of children with cancer often lag behind their contemporaries due to frequent hospital visits, severe treatments with accompanying side effects, and the stigma society often attaches to ‘cancer.’ That said, Camp Goodtime was established with the mandate to increase the self-confidence and independence in children who have cancer. Aided by financial support from the Canadian Cancer Society, the first Camp Goodtime was held at the YMCA Camp Wapomeo in Carleton, Yarmouth County, and was the first camp of its kind in Maritime Canada.

The Evolution of Camp Goodtime
Twenty-one children from throughout Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island attended the first Camp Goodtime, which was supported by approximately 15 staff. Counsellors were provided by Camp Wapomeo, which also supplied all the programming.

In 1986, survivors of childhood cancer were invited to attend Camp Goodtime as support for counsellors and as friends to campers. These individual were called ‘Buddy Counsellors’ and today remain an important part of the Camp Goodtime community.

In 1987, Camp Goodtime welcomed siblings/friends of campers – one per camper. Since siblings and friends of children with cancer can experience their own stress and ‘side affects’ of the disease, Camp Goodtime has always identified this group of the Camp community as one it serves equally.

In 1989, New Brunswick developed its own camp for children with cancer, which continues to operate today, while Camp Goodtime continues to serve children, ages seven to 15, from Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia.

Over the years, Camp Goodtime has benefitted from both medical and nursing professionals of the IWK Health Centre, who essentially developed and planned the camp in its early years. Then, in the early 1990s, a volunteer committee was created to oversee the running of Camp Goodtime and its evolution. In 1993, the first Vice Chair was appointed to the Camp Goodtime Committee and in 1995, the first Buddy Counsellor Coordinator was appointed. In 1999, the Camp Goodtime Committee assumed responsibility for all hiring and training of staff, a practice which it continues today. And, in 2001, the Committee hired Camp Goodtime’s first Nurse Coordinator.             

Camp Goodtime Enters a New Millennium
In 2000, 102 children attended Camp Goodtime supported by approximately 60 staff recruited from Maritime universities and schools. In addition, the Camp’s staff training program was expanded to four days. Today, Camp Goodtime is a fully integrated haematology and oncology camp where children with cancer, brain tumours and blood disease can spend one glorious week a year experiencing what’s considered a ‘right-of-passage’ for all kids – summer camp.