2026 NW Kidney Kids Youth Camp

NW Kidney Kids Youth Camp will be held from July 20 -24 in Salem, Oregon. It is a specially designed camp for 5th-12th grade KIDNEY KIDS with the focus on an overnight summer camp fun!

Who Qualifies for Youth Camp?

Youth currently experiencing end-stage renal failure from entering 5th grade in Fall 2026 to just recently graduated in Spring 2026. A child experiencing end-stage renal failure qualifies for camp if they meet one of the following considerations:

1) a child on dialysis - HD or PD

2) Have received a Kidney Transplant

3) Referred for Kidney Transplant

4) Referred to Camp by a Pediatric Nephrologist

What are the goals of Youth Camp?

What makes us LOVE Kidney Kids Youth Camp is that kids walk away with a sense of belonging and have found connections with kids 'like them.' The empowerment the Youth leave Camp with is hard to measure. Our three main goals of Youth Camp are 1) Youth will understand the importance of managing kidney disease for lifelong success. 2) Youth will engage in nutrition and physical wellness programs geared towards kidney disease. 3) The camp will provide Youth an opportunity to connect with others with kidney disease to gain a better understanding of their disease.

Who will be with my kids all week?

Our Camp is lead by our Camp Manager and a dedicated team of young adult Camp Counselors who come back year after year. They themselves all have a connection to kidney disease, most of them have CKD and are living their life successfully as a young adult. The Youth rave about them and we couldn't ask for a better team.

My child has a lot of medical needs, how will they be addressed at Camp?

We have a dedicated nursing staff on site 24/7 throughout camp. We keep nursing 1:12 youth to make sure that your child's unique medical care is being addressed. As camp approaches, we will ask you to fill out detailed medical forms and each family will sit down with our Medical Staff to go over your child's individual needs prior to leaving your child at camp. We also have a pediatric nephrologist doctor on call 24/7 and pediatric dialysis nurses available, if needed.

How does my kid qualify for Youth Camp?

Children currently experiencing end-stage renal failure and are entering 5th grade in Fall 2026 through graduated seniors in Spring 2026. A child experiencing end-stage renal failure qualifies for camp if they meet one of the following considerations 1) a child on dialysis - HD or PD 2) Have received a Kidney Transplant 3) Referred for Kidney Transplant 4) Referred to Camp by a Pediatric Nephrologist. We prioritize youth campers from Oregon and SW Washington but usually have room for kids from other states.

I still have questions, who can I talk to?

If you have questions and want to hear more about our Youth Camp Program please call/email us. Contact our Camp Manager: brian@nwkidneykids.org or (971) 400-4017