When Arnie Preminger first brought his idea for a day camp to Memorial Sloan Kettering, Nina Pickett handed him a list of about ten conditions: it had to include siblings, it had to be free, and it…
Joy Zelin walked into her first Sunrise Day Camp convinced she wouldn't be able to handle what she was about to see. What she found instead were the happiest kids in the world, and a purpose she never…
When Michael Rosenberg walks onto the Long Island campgrounds, he sees the seven year old version of himself. That's how old he was in 1979, when his sister Laura was diagnosed, and it's why he says…
What if camp could come to the kids who can't come to camp? In this episode, we sit down with Deanna Slade, Sunrise's Vice President of Camping Services, and Meredith George, a Child Life Specialist…
A parent once emailed Athena Levesque after a low-key March Madness game night on Zoom to say it was the first time she'd seen her son smile in a long time. That moment, not the celebrity guests or…
Dr. Carolyn Fein Levy carries a story most pediatric oncologists do not. At age eleven, she was diagnosed with a malignant ovarian tumor. Today, she leads pediatric solid tumor care at Cohen…
When Lucy’s younger sister Penny was diagnosed with leukemia at age eight, Lucy’s world shifted overnight. She went from sharing a bedroom with her sister to staring at a perfectly made, empty bed. At…
Deanna Slade has spent nearly two decades watching Sunrise magic unfold, from the very first summers to today’s full-circle moments when former campers return as staff. She shares what “magic” really…
In this deeply moving conversation, Bill Villafranco shares his remarkable journey from personal tragedy to profound impact. As trustee of the Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation, Bill has been a…
Steph has been part of Sunrise for 15 unforgettable summers. What began as a place of respite during her brother’s cancer treatment became a second home — filled with laughter, friendship, and…
