Children in the Southwest with serious illnesses have found a voice in actress, artist and child advocate Jane Seymour.
Seymour visited Sedona Thursday, Sept. 11, as the official spokesperson for Camp Soaring Eagle in the Village of Oak Creek.
Seymour, best known for her roles in “Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman,” “The Wedding Crashers” and most recently “Dancing with the Stars,” is involved in numerous charitable causes for children.
By Alison Ecklund
Larson Newspapers
Children in the Southwest with serious illnesses have found a voice in actress, artist and child advocate Jane Seymour.
Seymour visited Sedona Thursday, Sept. 11, as the official spokesperson for Camp Soaring Eagle in the Village of Oak Creek.
Seymour, best known for her roles in “Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman,” “The Wedding Crashers” and most recently “Dancing with the Stars,” is involved in numerous charitable causes for children.
Camp Soaring Eagle, currently being constructed on Verde Valley School Road, will be a place where children with illnesses can play like kids, in a medically safe environment, all for free.
Currently there are more than 350,000 children in the Southwest living with fatal or life-threatening diseases. The camp’s goal is to give these children the healing power of laughter and the joy of play.
When Seymour heard about the camp from its founder, Sedona resident Max James, she knew it was something she wanted to be involved with.
“I know children who are very ill and some who have passed away,” Seymour said. “I’ve known many kids who have leukemia, and they’ve told me about their lives and how hard it’s been on their families.”
When completed next summer, the camp will be able to host 120 campers a week from Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico and Utah — at no cost to the families.
The camp will boast the highest standards in medically based camping, and staff from Phoenix Children’s Hospital, Banner Children’s Hospital in Phoenix and Sunrise Children’s Hospital in Las Vegas have already signed on to work.
“On behalf of our physicians, nurses and other staff, Phoenix Children’s Hospital would be honored to serve as a primary health care partner for the Verde Valley camp and to share this camp’s special magic with children in Arizona and throughout the Southwest,” Phoenix Children’s Hospital President and CEO Robert Meyer said.
Seymour is also honored to take part in changing children’s lives for the better.
A member of the American Red Cross National Celebrity Cabinet, she works for Childhelp, a national organization dedicated to the treatment and prevention of child abuse, and is selective about what she gets involved with, she said.
“Because when I get involved, I want to get involved and not just give my name,” Seymour said.
Seymour, a mother of six, learned more about disabilities after working with the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, where she saw how important a little light can be in the lives of suffering children.
The camp will host children ages 7 through 17 for one week stays during the summer and will accommodate up to 32 families for three-day family weekends throughout the year.
Seymour admits it may be hard at first for families to send their sick kids away for a week, but parents will soon realize what a gift they are giving their children, she said.
“They know that they responsibly gave permission to their children to be a kid again and not a patient, and that’s a great gift,” she said.
Seymour is looking forward to seeing the first group of kids go through the camp — to see their smiling faces and how much camp has changed them.
To Seymour, it’s not about the amount of time one has in life, but about the moments, relationships and the feeling of accomplishment, she said.
“When you’re very ill, to have the opportunity to challenge yourself and your abilities and to be surrounded by other kids who are dealing with the same issues … that kind of bonding
is worth everything,” she said.
When James told Seymour his goal for the camp, they realized that they both believed in fate, she said. “You’re just meant to do things. I think that’s what happened here. It was the perfect fit at the perfect time.”
Alison Ecklund can be reached at 282-7795, ext. 125, or e-mail
aecklund@larsonnewspapers.com
