Volunteering for Chameleon's Journey from the Perspective of a Child Life Specialist
- Jun 25
- 3 min read
June is volunteer recruitment month for Chameleon's Journey. Over the next several weeks, we will hear from some of our beloved volunteers, learning their "why!" Are you interesting in serving as a volunteer at our Fall Overnight Grief Camp? Complete the volunteer application on the CJ website to learn more!
By: Flora Nanni
Volunteering for Chameleon's Journey from the Perspective of a Child Life Specialist
Every year, I block out a weekend in October to volunteer at Chameleon’s Journey. It is a non-negotiable! No other commitments allowed - simply the time and space to show up. And it is life-giving! As a Child Life Specialist working in the hospital setting with patients and families experiencing grief and death, I see loss, resilience, and tragedy in the raw. I found out about Chameleon’s Journey from one of our music therapists and was intrigued…wanting to learn about life on the other side of loss for these kids. As a new counselor at CJ my first year, I did not know quite what to expect.
I remember witnessing how our lead counselor provided a supportive space for our campers to feel safe and express their feelings, the overwhelming courage of our group of 8 and 9 yr olds in navigating waters they never signed up for after their loved ones’ death (and in fearlessly tackling the zipline!), and how grief, connection, and joy could simultaneously co-exist in this special place.
Since that experience, it has been a privilege to serve as a lead counselor for many years. Every year, the theme of the camp changes, as do many of the activities and offerings. What stays consistent is the heart of Chameleon’s Journey-the staff-authentic and passionate to the core to this mission of helping kids have a safe place to express their grief and explore coping, form bonds and friendships, and honor their loved ones in all the most amazing ways. And that’s when the magic happens.
One camper described grief as a jelly donut-looks fine on the outside, messy in the middle. Seeing kids move seamlessly from processing heartache and life changes to play is a humbling reminder of just how resilient they are. At camp, kids are able to show up just as they are; no judgement. They are welcomed with empathy and compassion, and we are equally changed for the better from our experiences with them. Campers come into the weekend with different stories, many with close relationships with their loved ones who died, others who barely knew them. They arrive the first morning, many nervous and apprehensive, but they stay and come out on the other end in a different space. There is a quiet transformation that happens when campers who didn’t know each other at the beginning of camp start making connections; and the next thing you know, they are holding space for each other for the hard parts…arms around each other during the memorial service because we are all in it together.
We have gratitude for the families who entrust us with their child for the weekend and at the end, we return them to their families, with the understanding that life goes on. Chameleon’s Journey is a beautiful reminder that even in life’s hardest moments, we don’t walk alone. And I’m grateful to be a part of it.
To learn more about Chameleon’s Journey Camp or VIA Health Partners, visit www.chameleonsjourney.org or www.viahp.org.
To learn more about Volunteering with VIA Health Partners, visit us at:
About VIA Health Partners
VIA Health Partners began as Hospice at Charlotte, the state’s first hospice, in 1978 and then operated under the name Hospice & Palliative Care Charlotte Region (HPCCR) for decades before its name change to VIA Health Partners in 2023. Today VIA Health Partners serves 3,500 patients each day for hospice and palliative care services. Our service area encompasses 14 counties in North Carolina - Burke, Catawba, Cabarrus, Caldwell, Cleveland, Gaston, Iredell, Lincoln, McDowell, Mecklenburg, Polk, Rutherford, Stanly, and Union. Its service area in South Carolina includes Abbeville, Anderson, Cherokee, Chester, Chesterfield, Fairfield, Greenville, Greenwood, Kershaw, Lancaster, Laurens, Newberry, Oconee, Pickens, Saluda, Spartanburg, Union, and York counties.
