NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — For adults who have or have had cancer, Camp Bluebird offers something that can be hard to find elsewhere — a community of people who truly understand the journey.
"It is like summer camp when you were a kid," said Debi Ponder, a former camper and now volunteer.
Brian Gadbois says the connections came almost immediately upon arriving.
“I was here for five minutes, and I was already going, okay, who are you, what’s your story, you know, whatcha doing, you know, meeting cabin mates, everything,” he said.
Gadbois was first diagnosed at the end of July 2023.
“I had just turned 33 in June [2023],” he said. “And I said—to nobody in particular—I am ready for my next adventure. Well, I learned to be a little more specific with that next time I say that.”
Ponder was diagnosed with breast cancer in December 2018 and later had a bilateral mastectomy in February 2019. After attending camp as a camper, she returned as a volunteer.
"After my cancer diagnosis, I sought out some opportunities to be part of the cancer community," she said.
That community is central to what makes Camp Bluebird meaningful. For many campers, it is a place to find others who understand the experience.
"Your family understands, but not the same way as someone who has gone through the journey," Debi said.
At camp, activities like building projects, puzzles, haircuts, massages, and manicures give campers a chance to simply enjoy themselves — and cancer does not have to be the focus of every conversation.
"I love to just hear other people's experiences," Gadbois said. "Both bad and good."
“Going through cancer, I found my purpose here at Camp Bluebird because it is those connections you make and the sitting down and having one-on-one conversations with other people that have gone through their journey and being able to share those,” Ponder said.
"When I plugged in here, it gave me purpose to my cancer because I felt like it was my opportunity to give back to someone else," she added.
I previously reported on Camp Horizon in Cheatham County, a similar camp for children who have or have had cancer. For the campers and volunteers at Camp Bluebird, the message is the same — the experience is invaluable.
Camp Bluebird leaders say donations are a major help to keep this going. To learn more, click here.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
September 11, 2001 is a day most associate with terror and tragedy. Austin Pollack shares a story from that day about hope and persistence: the effort to save a little girl’s life – with an organ donation. The problem? The young patient was in Houston, and her life-saving liver here in Nashville. With the grounding of all civilian aircraft, how could it be done? “Nobody ever said this isn’t possible.”
- Rhori Johnston
