At Camp Simcha in New York’s Catskills, a summer day can include kayaking, swimming and climbing a wall — with a hospital-grade medical operation running alongside it. The campus is designed for children whose illnesses, disabilities or treatment schedules would make an ordinary overnight camp impossible, turning routine recreation into something carefully engineered around safety and independence.
The 125-acre camp in Glen Spey hosts roughly 450 children across four summer sessions, with separate programs for children with cancer and those living with chronic illnesses or disabilities. A report by Central Oregon Daily describes a place where children can arrive with wheelchairs, walkers, canes, ventilators or complex medication routines and still take part in the rituals of camp.
Accessibility Is Built Into The Fun
Camp Simcha Special says every building and facility is accessible, while activities are adapted so campers can participate rather than watch from the sidelines. The camp’s Olympic-size pool has a ramp and water-submersible wheelchairs, and the official program description lists adaptive sports, boating, ropes courses and zip-line activities among the options.
That approach extends beyond ramps and equipment. Each camper receives a designated counselor, while children who need more daily assistance can receive additional support, according to Camp Simcha Special.
A Medical Center Sits At The Heart Of Camp
The medical infrastructure is closer to a pediatric treatment unit than a typical summer-camp infirmary. Camp Simcha says specialized pediatric physicians, nurses, therapists and EMTs are on site around the clock, with an ambulance available for off-site activities, a medevac helicopter on call and facilities capable of administering chemotherapy.
That medical center was expanded in 2022, when Chai Lifeline announced the renovation of the Silber and Scheiner Families Medical Center and called it the center of Camp Simcha and Camp Simcha Special. The organization said the project was intended to support the camp’s growing population while preserving a child-friendly setting.
Before campers arrive, medical directors and counselors review records, communicate with families and physicians when appropriate, and create individual care plans. The system is designed to let staff manage everything from ordinary camp scrapes to specialized procedures without making a child feel as though the entire summer has been converted into a hospital stay.
The human stakes came through in the camper stories reported by Central Oregon Daily. Maya Popliger, who was diagnosed with Axenfeld-Rieger syndrome as an infant and later became legally blind, used a detection cane and sometimes a wheelchair before trying a ropes course with an adaptive harness; another camper, Navah Shtern, worked with camp nurses to become more independent with treatments at home.
The Break Is For Parents, Too
Camp Simcha is also structured as respite for families who spend the rest of the year managing appointments, medications and emergencies. Camp participation is funded through Chai Lifeline for families who qualify, and the Camp Simcha Special application page says the program is free of charge.
That combination — serious medical supervision wrapped in ordinary camp rituals — is the point. On this campus, a child can be medically complex without being reduced to a diagnosis, while parents get a rare two-week stretch in which someone else is carrying the clipboard.
