In April 2025, researchers from Dublin City University, University College Dublin, and King’s College London published an independent study titled Exploring the Conceptual Value of Different Programme Models in SeriousFun Children’s Network.
Funded by SeriousFun and Takeda Pharmaceuticals, the study set out to answer a powerful question: What makes each SeriousFun program format truly valuable for children with serious illnesses and their families?
To find out, researchers interviewed a broad mix of voices, including campers, parents, staff, volunteers, and healthcare providers and evaluated a variety of program formats including traditional overnight camps, family weekends, hospital-based outreach, and community-based programs around the globe.
What they discovered was both validating and exciting: no matter the format or location, SeriousFun experiences consistently delivered a shared set of deeply meaningful benefits.
Among the top values identified across every setting, SeriousFun programs were found to:
- Promote psychological wellbeing
- Strengthen campers’ ability to manage their illness
- Contribute to lasting positive outcomes
- Offer supports not provided by other interventions
- Are adaptable to the individual needs of campers
In other words, the power of SeriousFun isn’t tied to a place, it’s rooted in how we do camp, and why. The quality of our intentional program design, the care in our delivery, and the joy at the center of each moment are what make the experience so impactful.
This research backs up what many in our community have felt for years: SeriousFun isn’t defined by cabins or campfires. It’s defined by connection, confidence, and the belief that every child deserves to feel whole, hopeful, and free to be themselves.
Questions about the study may be directed to Dr. Ann Gillard, Research Director at SeriousFun Children’s Network.