Welcome to Camp Erin’s Parent Blog and to The Moyer Foundation now Eluna ! I am happy to have the opportunity to facilitate discussions, share stories, provide valuable resources, and to be someone you can count on to help get you through some of life’s challenges.
Like many of you, I first learned about the Moyer Foundation and Camp Erin when I lost my spouse. My husband Jeff died of brain cancer in January 2010, leaving behind our children who were just 10 and 6 years old. We were fortunate at that time to have wonderful counselors who told us about the amazing work by the Moyer Foundation. Little did I know then just how much Camp Erin would make a difference in our lives!
In addition to heading up this blog, I am also a busy working mother. I am a business owner and Realtor, and an avid fundraiser and supporter for various cancer support & research organizations. Most recently, I had the honor of being nominated for the 2011 Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Man & Woman of the Year Campaign. I also give back to my community through volunteer and sponsorship opportunities and have now been named a volunteer spokesperson for Penn Wissahickon Hospice. My story and my advice on related topics has been published in Philadelphia area newspapers, WHYY Radio and Hospice Newsletters.
My experiences and lessons learned since losing my husband and my children’s father has compelled me to do all I can to help others with their struggles. I also hope to give you a valuable tool to not only give advice, but to also lift each other up with positive stories, helpful tips and effective coping strategies. The topics and discussions you will see here will cover a broad spectrum and will not always be the “easy” ones. We are looking forward to talking about the real-life issues and difficulties we face in a safe, supporting environment.
So I’d like to thank you for visiting the Camp Erin Parents Page and hope to see you here often!
– Sheila
Camp Erin Parents 
I am not a parent or grandparent, but I do know about the experience of loss and life-changing events, and think highly of Camp Erin and its mission. I recently watched for a second time the moving HBO documentary One Last Hug:Grief Camp. My dad died of heart failure at 43 when I was 2 and my mom at 51 after a 4 year struggle with cancer when I was 15. At that time in this country, the 50’s and early 60’s, and with regard to the friends and relatives of my family, the knowledge of loss, grief, bereavement counseling was not present. My older brother by 3 years and I suffered silently, to the degree we were aware of our losses and their meaning. At 31 he took his own life by jumping to his death off the Golden Gate Bridge.
While I’ve been able to earn a living, retire, have close friends, avoid hospitalization or incarceration, have no struggles with drugs or alcohol addiction, no suicidal ideation, I cannot say that I ever recovered or healed from the wounds nor ever expect to. And I say that as someone who explored many therapeutic avenues from Primal Therapy to Rolfing, traditional therapy, group work, meditation, journals, doing volunteer work with hospice and other agencies. I know people don’t like to use the phrase ‘damaged beyond repair’ when it comes to a human being, but that’s what it feels like to me. I’m grateful for what I do have, but cannot make up for what I didn’t and the tragic losses I lived through.
I do think Camp Erin is a great idea and a wonderful experience for the kids and increases their potential for healing.
Bob
Thank you for your story, I too lost my husband, when my boys were 5, 10. One day life was as it always was the next day the call, he was gone. A boating accident took him and left my boys stranded alone in the water. Till out of know were, strangers saved my children. I am still struggling with day to day routines of life, so many things to do with only one person to manage it all. I only wish that my family would help me but that is only a dream. If it wasn’t for me friend I don’t think I could have made it. It’s nice to know that out there, in our world, we have so many people like me, making it work. I look forward to hearing from other contributors. Suzanne your Canadian neighbor
Thank you Suzanne. It really does make a difference knowing we are not alone. Just like our kids need to be connected to other kids, we too need support. Keep checking in here and feel free to comment / post and share the site with others!
-Sheila
Suzanne, your experience sounds similar to ours, my husband also passed away in a boating accident which left my son (9 at the time, 13 now) stranded. It has been a challenging journey. Both of my children (now 11 &13) have enjoyed and been enriched by Camp Erin for the past four years. I know and understand the struggles of managing alone when you are use to teamwork, slowly with time it all works out. I wish you and your boys the best!
Tammy