Camp Simcha gives respite to families on summer retreat - The Jewish Chronicle

Over 120 people - coming from London, Manchester and Essex - have benefited from Camp Simcha’s summer family retreat in rural Oxfordshire.

The holiday is an annual getaway run by the charity, which is dedicated to supporting seriously ill children and their families from the Jewish community.

The retreat was particularly welcomed by the Abenson family. Parents Michaela and Ruby said they hadn’t been sure that they or their two children – including Saul, five, who is being treated for leukaemia – would be able to attend until the last minute.

“The whole family had been looking forward to retreat for months, but on Friday evening, we were back in hospital as Saul had spiked a high fever. I spent Shabbos with a pit in my stomach. We had been holding onto this. We needed [the retreat], but it was slipping away.”

“The hospital staff were incredible. They did everything they could to get him well enough to go… We ended up going straight from Saul’s hospital bed to the retreat.”

Michaela spoke about how transformative the retreat was for Saul from the very first moment he entered the hotel.

Saul Abenson (Photo: Camp Simcha)[Missing Credit]

“The energy, the joy, the spirit that Camp Simcha creates – it was as though it breathed life into him. Within minutes, he was smiling, laughing, exploring and playing.”

“For the next two and a half days, he was filled with a kind of energy we hadn’t seen in months. It was the opposite to what we had been watching for the last eight months in hospital. Instead of draining his life, retreat poured life back into him.”

Saul receives intensive treatment administered via a Hickman line, and combined with his sensory sensitivity, it is uncomfortable for Saul to wear most clothes. Instead, he usually wears a dressing gown, “but nobody bats an eyelid at Camp Simcha - everyone understands,” said Michaela. “Camp Simcha even made him a personalised dressing gown just for retreat!”

This year’s activities started with a helicopter ride over the picturesque Oxfordshire landscape. This was followed by a trip to a petting zoo for both children and parents, as well as a welcome dinner and a game of bingo.

The second day began with a themed breakfast, followed by trips to Legoland Windsor and Thorpe Park.

The Abenson family (Photo: Camp Simcha)[Missing Credit]

The children were then looked after by carers, volunteers and medical experts, whilst the parents were treated to a luxurious spa appointment at the hotel or a trip to Bicester Village.

The children played games and made arts and crafts, and whilst being looked after by staff and volunteers, parents were given the time to have a romantic dinner for two.

The third and final day saw an Oscar-themed breakfast and awards ceremony take place.

Chief Executive of Camp Simcha Daniel Gillis said afterwards: “Families we support have so much on their shoulders, but as soon as they walk through the door, everything is taken care of. With volunteers, carers and doctors on site, parents can enjoy true respite and spend quality time together as a family unit, while connecting with others who understand. Families leave retreat visibly boosted and recharged to face the challenges ahead.”

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Camp Simcha