Hi there! My name is Hudson Harris, and I am the founder of Rise Family Cancer Camp.

In 2012, my mom was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia. I was only four years old at the time, and my brother was two. Her diagnosis came as a complete shock to our family, and suddenly, our world was turned upside down.

At such a young age, my brother and I were left with feelings of confusion, sadness, and worry about our mom’s survival. It often felt like no one around us truly understood what we were going through. Later in my mom’s health journey, I met another child around my age whose mom was also in the hospital. It was the first time I had met someone who shared a similar experience. Even though the interaction was brief, it helped me realize that I wasn’t alone.

Miraculously, my mom defied the odds and survived. However, cancer took a significant toll on her health, and she faced additional complications that kept her in the hospital for five more years. The strain of those years also affected our family deeply, and my parents separated shortly after my mom was discharged.

Growing up through that experience made something very clear to me: families facing cancer often feel isolated and alone. Children, spouses, and patients are all navigating the experience in different ways, yet they rarely have opportunities to connect with others who truly understand what they are going through.

The Rise Family Camp was created to change that.

The camp is designed to bring together young families with a parent facing cancer in a supportive and welcoming environment. Through shared activities, meaningful conversations, and support from on-site counsellors, families have the opportunity to connect with others experiencing similar challenges.

Cancer can bring immense stress, fear, and uncertainty into daily life and relationships. While nothing can remove those challenges entirely, connection and community can make an incredible difference. At Rise Family Camp, families can step away from the hospital environment and everyday stress to spend time together, build friendships, and create positive memories.

The goal of Rise Family Camp is simple: to ensure that no family facing cancer feels alone.

We are committed to keeping Rise Family Camp completely free and accessible to all families. Your support goes directly toward covering camp costs, transportation, meals, and programming so families can attend without financial burden.

If you are able, please consider donating to support this mission. Every contribution, no matter the size, makes a meaningful impact.

And if you can’t donate, sharing this page would mean just as much.

Thank you for helping us build a community where families facing cancer feel supported, understood, and never alone.

Hudson Harris