Care Conference Recorded Talks 2020

Family Care Conference: Keynote Presentation by Dr. Kris Kullgren

Dr. Kris Kullgren, Clinical Psychologist at Michigan Medicine C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital, delivers her keynote presentation, “From Trauma to Resilience: Thriving (Not Just Surviving) with Your Child’s Illness.”

Other recorded talks, panels, breakout sessions and presentations below were delivered during North Star Reach’s 2020 Family Care Conference. Browse our library to find valuable resources for parents and caregivers of children living with serious illnesses.

Heart Warriors

Breakout Session by Courtney Strohacker, MD

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Breakout Session led by Kristen Marzolf, LCSW, SEP

Depression And Anxiety

Sibling Support

Breakout Session by Mary Ann Fithian and Will Falzon

Video coming soon!

Prayer & Reflection

Breakout Session by Vicky Lovell, BA and Danielle Groth

Building Your Bunch: Friends In Crisis

Breakout Session led by Mary Ann Fithian and Jeni Sobbry

Depression & Anxiety

Breakout Session by Rebecca Patrias, MD

Yoga for Relaxation & Stress Relief

Breakout Session by Aubrey Schupbach

Cultivating Resilience Through Storytelling

Breakout Session led by Ami Walsh, MFA

Supporting Transplant & Cardiology Families

Breakout Session by Melissa Cousino, PhD and Emily Fredericks, PhD

Stress Management

Breakout Session by Pastor Vicky Lovell and Danielle Groth

The Need for Sleep

Breakout Session led by Kathy DeRue, MD, MS

Self-Care for the Caregiver

Breakout Session by Dr. Becky Patrias, MD

Challenge by Choice

Keynote Presentation by Patrick Smith

Promoting Equity For Your Child

Breakout Session led by Shavonn Burgess, LPC

Caring for the Caregiver

Panel by Dr. Kullgren, Pastor Vicky Lovell, and Kathy Prout

The Isolation of Caring For A Chronically Ill Child

Panel with Bridget Schank, Kath Prout,
Wendy Wilson and Mary Ann Fithian

Equity in Healthcare

Panel with Matthew Denenberg, MD; Erika Newman, MD;
and Shavonn Burgess, LPC

Affecting Change in Healthcare Inequality

Presentation by Patrick T. McGann, MD, MS

@northstarreach on Instagram

Dec 20

We are excited to share a new way for North Star Reach camper families and volunteers to connect with SeriousFun in 2023, thanks to our amazing friends at @flyinghorsefarms. During our on-site programming pause in 2023, FHF--our sister @seriousfun_camps camp--would like to invite our community of campers, camper families, and program and medical volunteers to join them at their camp, just three hours away from Pinckney in Mt. Gilead, Ohio.

Applications for campers and volunteers are now open! You can learn more and apply today by visiting the FHF website (see link in bio). If you have any questions, you can also email NSR Camping Director Patrick Smith (patrick@northstareach.org).

While we are deeply disappointed to miss out on seeing our campily at NSR in 2023, you will be in excellent care at FHF. We are so grateful to the donors and staff at FHF for this moose wonderful opportunity. 💛 💚 💙

#weareseriousfun #campfriends #seriousfun #flyinghorsefarms #northstarreach

Dec 2

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your generosity on #GivingTuesday. Your donations of volunteer time and dollars are greatly appreciated. 💛 💚 💙

#grateful #givingtuesday

Nov 29

On this #GivingTuesday, we want to share our gratitude for every single supporter, old and new, who has given the gift of time, talent, and dollars to support our mission.

As North Star Reach moves toward a sustainable future, individuals like you continue to be a critical foundation to an aspirational fundraising goal in the coming years. Today, we’re asking if you would consider two easy ways to help support our future:

1) Volunteer your time for a service project at camp in 2023

2) Chip in $25, $50, or whatever you can, to show your support

However you choose to give, you can make your donation of time or dollars by visiting our website today (see link in bio).

Every hour of service and dollar raised will contribute to our efforts to chart a sustainable path forward, and for that we can’t express our gratitude enough. Thank you for being by our side as we move into the future. 💛💚💙

#givingtuesday2022 #northstarreach #seriousfun

Nov 3

We are grateful for the amazing families who attended our October Fall Campily Retreat for a beautiful fall weekend. A big thanks to the incredible volunteers who helped to make the weekend possible, and to @dmatum for the many generous ways your students support North Star Reach's mission. A very special thanks to Dr. Becky for these beautiful family portraits. 💛💚💙 #loveourcampily

Oct 24

A huge thank you to the amazing volunteers who helped to create a wonderful weekend for the families attending our third Fall Campily Retreat. A special shoutout to the @dmatum team, for sharing your talents and time—and for all the important ways your community raises funds and supports North Star Reach. 💛💙💚

Oct 17

The results are in! A huge camp cheer to all our followers who voted for North Star Reach last month in the Target Circle charitable giving campaign. Thanks to your votes, North Star Reach will receive $4,513.63! ✨✨✨

We are so grateful to our community, and to @target, for this incredible support! #targetcircle #communitygiveback #donorsmakeitpossible

Oct 14

As the weather begins to get a little colder, we're grateful to be finding so much warmth and laughter during our Fall Camper & Young Adult Meetups! These bi-weekly meetings are a wonderful opportunity for campers, volunteers, and NSR staff to play games, make crafts, and connect with one another. If you'd like to find out more information about these virtual meetups visit the link in our bio!

#CamperMeetups #Connection #Campily

Oct 12

ICYMI: A study by our friends at @seriousfun_camps and @americanresearch_ (AIR) showcases the long-lasting benefits of camp for kids with serious medical conditions. 2/3 of SeriousFun alumni, including from North Star Reach, credit camp with the development of many personal, health, and social qualities, including an increased willingness to try new things, appreciation of diversity, and self-confidence.

Click link in bio to hear a conversation between North Star Reach Executive Director Mitch Rosenwasser and SeriousFun CEO Blake Maher about the groundbreaking findings, which aired at our Under the North Star fundraising event on Sept. 30.

📷: Sickle Cell Disease/Hematology/Pain Management & Sibling Camp, Summer 2022

Oct 10

We are counting down the days until our third Campily Retreat happening later this month! In the meantime, we are reflecting back on all of the fun and camp magic we experienced during our second retreat through all the photos in our Facebook album. A special thank you to Dr. Becky for the beautiful family portraits. We look forward to seeing more families and making more memories in a couple of weeks!💛💚💙

#Campily #LoveTheMooseness

Oct 7

Gratitude continues to fill our hearts as we reflect back on our fundraising event, Under the North Star. An event that was only made possible by the generosity and support of our community. A huge thank you to these in-kind donors who helped make our event spectacular:

@thecappuccinoman, Chef Ron Philipp, Wood and Anvil, Desserts by Diane, @amskier1920, @bankofannarbor, Kimberly Blaine Yoga, @lazboy, @leisathompson, Michigan Media, N&K Marine, Northern United Brewing Company LLC., Quest Productions, @tiosmexicancafe, @woodsonwhiskey, & @imperialbeverage

We look forward to sharing more photos highlighting these wonderful donors and this memorable evening soon!

#grateful #donorsmakeitpossible

Oct 5

Words simply cannot express how grateful we are for everyone’s support with our annual fundraising event, Under the North Star. This memorable evening brought in more than $90,000, including $8,138 from our live auction! (For those who won an auction item and have not received a notification, please contact Mary Ann at maryann@northstarreach.org). Our utmost gratitude to each and every person who attended this event and a very special thank you to the following sponsors: Title Sponsor: Ted & Jane Von Voigtlander Foundation; Major Sponsors: @riteaid, @BeaumontHealth, @umichmedicine, @mottchildren; Event Sponsors: @abercrombie, @Dominos, Lake Trust Credit Union, @SpectrumHealth, @WoodsonWhiskey; Campership Sponsors: @deltadentalmi

We look forward to sharing more thanks in the days to come for the many dedicated volunteers and in-kind donors who generously helped us host our event—and our photo gallery will be coming soon too!

#grateful #donorsmakeitpossible

Oct 4

We will share photos from 2022 UNS later this week and our deep thanks to the many generous people, sponsors, and volunteers who made the incredible evening possible. Until then, a parting shot from our night under the stars. We hope our guests, like all of us at North Star Reach, are still enjoying the glow from our time together. #underthenorthstar2022 #loveourcampily

Oct 1

We are sending our Under the North Star guests, donors, and volunteers the biggest camp hug. We are so grateful for the generous community that came together in support of our mission to positively impact children living with serious illnesses and their families. It was an incredible evening and we loved connecting with you in so many ways, including for our live program and @fiftyampfuse concert under starry skies in our amphitheater at the end of a glorious fall day. Thank you all. (We will have an event photo album to share soon.) 💛💚💙

Sep 29

TOMORROW IS THE BIG DAY! We are so looking forward to hosting 2022 Under the North Star tomorrow and seeing our guests at camp starting at 5 p.m. To our Facebook and Instagram friends: You are invited to join us virtually for the live program, (8-9 pm, EST). See link in bio to RSVP and join our Zoom gathering or tune into our Facebook page for the livestream.

You can also help support camp by bidding on auction items. See link in bio to register for the auction before bidding starts at 5 p.m. tomorrow. A huge thank you to the amazing volunteers and who have been helping get camp ready, including hanging banners on the outside of The Observatory. It’s going to be a spectacular night! 💛💚💙

Sep 28

A huge thank you to the group of amazing volunteers who helped make our second Fall Campily Retreat magical! We are also incredibly grateful to each and every family who joined us last weekend! Be sure to check out our Facebook album to see all of the fun we had🦝🍂

We can't wait to see the next group of families and volunteers at our third Fall Campily Retreat on October 21-23!

#CampilyRetreat #FindYourCampfire

Sep 27

As we head into the Fall Season, we want to remind our community that we are hosting ongoing virtual camper meetups and parent/caregiver support groups. These facilitated, bi-weekly gatherings give participants a chance to connect with peers for community and support. Our camper meetups are for North Star Reach campers and camper alumni (ages 7-24). Our parent/caregiver support groups are open to any parent/caregiver of a child with a serious illness. To learn more and register for these free programs, see link in bio. 💛💚💙

Sep 24

This year we’ve been thrilled to welcome campers and families back to camp for the first time in two years. As we reflect on this season of camp magic, we are reminded of how lucky we are to play a role in being part of life-changing experiences for our camper families.

Despite our recent program excellence, North Star Reach is confronting a set of very real challenges, including a gap in resources needed to sustain our high-quality medically supported camp experiences in a safe and meaningful way. As a result, we are sharing the announcement today that the board and camp leadership have made the difficult decision to suspend in-person camp programs for 2023.

We will use the next several months to review our operations, restructure as needed, while at the same time improving our fundraising outreach. Additionally, we are grateful to @seriousfun_camps for providing a variety of support services to North Star Reach, including financial resources and operational planning expertise. (Please see link in our bio for the full strategic planning update on our website.)

To transform, sometimes we need to dig deep. This difficult decision is a necessary part of our journey as a young nonprofit. We are tremendously grateful to our entire camp community for the patience and support that we now need to ask of you.

In this spirit, we also want you to know that we plan to host our “Under the North Star” signature event at camp on Sept. 30. This will be a beginning—the start of our bridge to the future.

Today, as always, North Star Reach is here for our camper families: They are our North Star. We pledge to be as proactive as possible with sharing information about our future fundraising and program plans as we work to build a strong foundation for a brighter future.

Sep 21

We're incredibly proud of North Star Reach camper, Kateri, for finding her own way to give back.

We heard from her recently that she has created beautiful hand-painted works of art for a fundraiser to benefit Give Kids the World Village, a nonprofit resort that provides critically ill children and their families with week-long wish vacations at no cost.

We're inspired by you, Kateri, and all the campers who find ways to share your gifts and help brighten the lives of those around you💛💚💙

#GiveBack #CampMagic

Sep 19

Archery is consistently a camp favorite during every session. Over the summer, we were lucky enough to have Miguel as our Archery specialist, teaching the campers everything they need to know about using a bow and arrow safely🎯

"Camp as a scout was a routine duty, summer camp a yearly trek just to get out into nature; North Star Reach was like Brigadoon, an escape from the world even as a staff member. These kids get to escape too and be a part of that… I almost didn't want to get paid. It was worth it. But from first year to second I have to up my game for hopefully more campers overall to have an amazing experience."

Thank you, Miguel, for your commitment to helping campers safely have fun over the summer and for teaching all of us some new skills along the way!

#summermemories #magicalmoments #campmagic #summer2022

Sep 17

Sending a big camp cheer to the @seriousfun_camps colleagues and board members (including our own Matthew Denenberg and Lisa Schwartz) who gathered yesterday at our sister camp, @flyinghorsefarms, to share expertise in supporting our shared mission. 🙌🙌🙌

📷: @seriousfun_camps

#weareseriousfun #anfchallenge

Get in touch!

EMAIL

info@northstarreach.org

PHONE

FAX

North Star Reach Camp

1200 University Camp Drive
Pinckney, MI 48169

FINANCIAL SUPPORT

North Star Reach is an independent nonprofit medical speciality camp based in Pinckney, Michigan. We provide life-changing camp experiences for children living with serious illnesses and their families, at no charge to them. You can support us today by making a donation.

Click Here & Donate

Stay Connected

PHONE

North Star Reach Camp

1200 University Camp Drive
Pinckney, MI 48169

Stay Connected

FAX

EMAIL

info@northstarreach.org

FINANCIAL SUPPORT

North Star Reach is an independent nonprofit medical speciality camp based in Pinckney, Michigan. We provide life-changing camp experiences for children living with serious illnesses and their families, at no charge to them. You can support us today by making a donation.

Click Here & Donate

GuideStar Platinum

North Star Reach is a platinum-level
GuideStar participant

American Camp Association

American Camp
Association Accredited

Visit North Star Reach

Photo Credit: Leisa Thompson Photography