After a tough year of treatment, a young girl has had an out of this world experience thanks to Camp Quality and subscribers to Box Magazine.

For many kids dealing with illness, days, months and even years of treatment and medical exams can take their toll, making childhood anything but carefree. Camp Quality is one organisation that banishes the grey clouds and creates a world that contains more colours than Joseph’s amazing technicolour dreamcoat and more gregarious giggles than a Jim Carrey comedy.

Alysha was diagnosed with Leukaemia just before she was due to blow out the candles on her 11th birthday cake. A year on, she is also celebrating her next birthday and also the return of her hair after months of treatment. “It’s started to grow back and she’s loving it, it’s looking really full and healthy,” Alysha’s mum Rebecca said. As the eldest of five kids, Alysha is a socialite in the making, “She is such a bright spark, a real joy to be around,” Camp Quality Area Manager Francinne O’Rourke explains. Alysha’s initial treatment saw her hospitalised for the majority of 2009 as she battled infections, yet she managed to get through the dreary days thanks to the entire Twilight series where she developed an appreciation for the lyrical musings of Taylor Swift. After missing out on most of the last school year and spending time with friends in the playground, Alysha is glad to be back in the swing of things, regardless of the treatment she still has ahead of her.

Thanks to the generous subscribers of Box Magazine, Alysha has been able to throw off the shackles of sickness and have some fun with her three younger siblings. ToyBox International joined forces with Camp Quality to ensure she had the opportunity to have fun during Camp Quality’s ‘Out Of This World’ middle camp in WA’s southwest. Not only was each dorm and recreation room decorated to reflect this Cosmos of Cool, but the kids had the opportunity to spot dolphins, go canoeing, climb rock walls and boogie at the ‘Out Of This World’ disco. “She went on one of the camps last year but was really looking forward to this one as she has so much more energy now,” Rebecca added. “When she was sick we just took things day by day and got by but Camp Quality are great as they include the entire family when they help out.”

Camp Quality is all about building resilience and creating optimism and these camps allow illness to fade into the background. “Alysha was able to have fun and hang out with her peers who understand what she has been through. It is about letting all our campers be children again and not be defined by their disease,” Ms O’Rourke says. “Camp Quality is reliant on our fabulous community and corporate fundraisers and donors like ToyBox International. We wouldn’t be able to run our education and recreational programs without their support.”

You can help improve the lives of more children like Alysha by subscribing to Box Magazine today. Visit boxmagazine.com.au or call 1300 BOXMAG.