The Painted Turtle acts as a social and medical intervention in the lives of seriously ill children. Specifically we seek to serve those children whose daily struggles and difficulties due to their illnesses have diminished their desire to be well. The journey to a rich, productive life begins with medical compliance and is coupled with the development of our campers’ self esteem, self awareness, and self fulfillment. The Painted Turtle is a year-round facility offering not only summer camp sessions but also family weekends, and family one-day programs.

"[My daughter] told me tonight that (camp) is the only place she feels that she’s ever been able to be herself… It’s the only place she’s been where people just accept her for who she is. It’s the only place she’s been where all of the activities are designed for her to be able to do. She doesn’t have to sit anything out. She’s part of it all." — camper’s mother

Summer Program

Each summer, The Painted Turtle welcomes children ages 7 to 16 for 5-7 day sessions. Each session focuses on serving children with one of the medical conditions found most in need of camp opportunities in California. The medical conditions The Painted Turtle will serve during the summer include: arthritis/rheumatic disease, Crohn’s and colitis, hemophilia; von Willebrand Factor; thalassemia, kidney disease and transplant, liver transplant, skeletal dysplasia (dwarfism), and spina bifida.

In each of the scheduled summer camp sessions, between morning horseback rides and evening campfires, approximately 110 children become actors on stage, artists, swimmers, athletes, canoe paddlers, stargazers and, most importantly, friends. Our campers experience a magical transformation, as sing and dance, garden, cook, paint, play, and develop important friendships that often last a lifetime.

“Thank you for one of the best weeks of my life...
I came with my doubts about my first time at a camp,
but as I left that night I couldn't have felt more satisfied or
overjoyed by my experience.” — Liver session camper

Year-Round Programs

Throughout the spring, winter, and fall, The Painted Turtle invites families who are living with the challenges of caring for a seriously ill child to come to camp and participate in a program of fun, creativity, support, and learning. Children with medical conditions such as arthritis/rheumatic disease, asthma and allergy, severe burns, Crohn’s and colitis, kidney disease and transplant, limb loss/abnormalities, liver transplant, Prader-Willi, and primary immunodeficiency diseases come to camp with their entire family. Activities planned for family weekends emphasize fun, team building and self-discovery. Parent and caregivers' first-hand exposure to the Camp provides them the opportunity to ask questions of staff and volunteers and ease any concerns relating to their child's care at camp, as well as show them a darn good time!

Very often, the siblings of chronically ill children get "lost in the shuffle" and feel torn between grief, confusion, anger, and guilt. The Painted Turtle includes these siblings in weekend programs so that they may also enjoy the camp experience and receive educational and emotional support. Planned recreational and educational activities offer siblings creative and constructive outlets through which they can explore their own questions, strengths, and individuality.

"The family weekend is very important to all the families. Everyone (the kids) realize they aren’t alone in this battle. All the volunteers and families are so open, friendly and caring. We really enjoyed ourselves! Thank you!!!!" – parent