In April, 2025 researchers from Dublin City University, University College Dublin and King’s College London published an independent study called Exploring the Conceptual Value of Different Programme Models in SeriousFun Children’s Network.
Funded by SeriousFun and Takeda Pharmaceuticals, the study was conducted across multiple program formats including traditional overnight camps, family weekends, hospital outreach, and community-based programs. The goal was to answer a key question: What makes each program model meaningful for children with serious illnesses and their families?
What the results show is really encouraging: across all of our program locations, whether kids are with us for a full week at a residential camp, spending a weekend with their family, participating in a hospital-based outreach program, or teen club at school, the core value elements of the SeriousFun experience remain consistent, including:
- Connection
- Empowerment
- Joy
- Belonging
In other words, the outcomes created by SeriousFun camps are not about where camp happens but rather how we do camp.
Other core value elements identified by researchers included things like helping kids discover new capabilities, supporting emotional well-being, and delivering programs that are safe, inclusive, and designed with children’s individual needs in mind. Importantly, these qualities were rated as very or extremely important by the vast majority of stakeholders, regardless of the program type.
Anecdotally, this reflects what we’ve always believed: our “secret sauce” is how we approach our programs. We design every program, no matter the setting, to meet campers where they are. Our staff and volunteers tailor activities to accommodate different energy levels, medical needs, and abilities so every child has the chance to participate fully.
We call this intentional programming, and it’s a model that encourages therapeutic recreation:
- Challenge – where campers choose how to engage.
- Success – where staff help campers define and achieve their own goals.
- Reflection – where campers process what they’ve done.
- and Discovery – where they grow in confidence and self-awareness.
The study confirms what we see in action every day: whether it’s a campfire under the stars or a hospital hallway craft session, the heart of the experience—joy, community, empowerment—remains the same.
