Smusz has volunteered as a camp counselor for the Bluebonnet Retreat since 1999. She works in the information technology area of Texas Health Resources and says this is her chance to give back to individuals facing cancer. Smusz has a personal tie with it because her daughter was diagnosed with cancer and underwent chemotherapy at age 12 and her father passed away in June of 2010 after a 9-month battle with cancer.
“It heals my heart every time I go,” she said. Smusz’s daughter is doing well and is now 33 years old and has three children of her own.
She said that most people would be surprised just how much joy and laughter can be found at a camp for people with cancer. “I’ve seen people come to camp with very dark eyes and sadness,” she said. “By the end of the weekend, though, you have to pull them away from camp because they don’t want to go home. I love watching the joy come back into people’s lives.”
For Smusz it’s not just the campers who benefit from the experience.
“It’s my way to reconnect to life,” she said. “We get so busy in our daily lives and tend to take things for granted. When I go to camp it really makes me remember what’s important in life – family, connection with others and laughter.”
The Bluebonnet Retreat is an adult camp experience for cancer patients and survivors, the only of its kind in North Texas. The retreat is held each spring and fall and is funded by private donations as a special project of Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Hurst-Euless-Bedford. The camp combines information sessions with a physician alongside activities like a band on Friday night, arts and crafts, time for sharing, and relaxation time.
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