We Are SeriousFun
Where medical care and adventure go hand in hand so kids facing life’s toughest challenges can focus on just being kids.
Founded by Paul Newman, SeriousFun Children’s Network delivers medically safe, transformative camp experiences to children living with serious medical challenges — always free of charge.
1 in 5 children in the U.S. now live with a special healthcare need.
These children are 2–3x more likely to experience social isolation, anxiety, and lower self-esteem.*
At SeriousFun camps and programs, children with serious medical diagnoses find belonging, discover joy, and reimagine what’s possible, all at no cost to their families.
Sibling & Family Programs
Where the whole family gets a break from being brave
“We didn’t come to camp looking for a cure for my sister’s illness, but in many ways camp was the cure… in the sense that it gave us hope. Not hope that her illness would be gone, as wonderful as that would be, but hope that life could still be joyful; that it could still be light, and that it could still be fun.” – Shoni, SeriousFun sibling camper
Kaden, Henry, and Lainey Elher with mom, Cindy
Elissa (in green) and her brother Lucas (in blue) with other sibling campers.
When a child is living with a serious illness, it impacts the whole family, which is why many of our SeriousFun network camps also offer camps and programs for families and siblings.
These programs provide everyone respite from their usual routine and feelings of being “different” and allows them to have fun together, in a safe, supportive space, while connecting with other families who share their experience.
Meet Brie Kleinhenz
When medical need takes a back seat to fun, joy replaces worry
and possibility becomes the story they carry home.
For kids with complex medical challenges, every zipline, dance and warm fuzzy at a SeriousFun camp isn’t just a moment of fun: it’s a milestone.
A spark of courage. A feeling of belonging. A lasting reminder that they are capable, celebrated, and never alone.
Meet AJ Davis
When worry is lifted, possibility takes flight.
When medical needs stop leading every moment and kids know they are safe, they experience life differently. They laugh without hesitation. They try things that once felt out of reach. They meet others who understand their journey and realize they are not alone.
SeriousFun camps are places where kids feel welcomed for who they are, where they get to redefine what is possible and where joy helps shape confidence, friendship and a stronger sense of self.