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The mission of Ukandu is to provide joy, hope, and connection to communities impacted by childhood and adolescent cancer. We recognize that cancer impacts the entire family and we aim to provide parents and caregivers a respite from the physical, emotional and financial toll childhood cancer poses to families.
Ukandu brings families together to share moments of joy, understanding, and belonging – because no one should navigate childhood cancer alone. We show up 52 weeks a year, creating space for families to recharge and connect with others who truly understand the journey.
While many people first discover Ukandu through our summer camps, today nearly 75% of those we serve participate in ongoing programs like support groups, community events, and family gatherings. These consistent touchpoints ensure families remain connected all year long.
Ukandu serves the whole family – from diagnosis through treatment, and beyond – with mental health services, wellness classes, overnight camps, and more. We support patients, survivors, siblings and caregivers – because childhood cancer impacts each member of the family, and the journey continues long after the last medical appointment.
For more than 40 years, Ukandu has stood alongside families facing the unimaginable: a childhood cancer diagnosis.
Planning for the first Camp Ukandu began in 1985 with a group of parents wanted to provide the joys of a summer camp experience to their sick kids. After careful planning, 48 campers brought the first ever Camp Ukandu to life in August of 1986! Shortly after, the Ukandu Board of Directors began a long standing history with the American Cancer Society in 1989.
With 16 years of camp experience, Camp Ukandu received an American Camping Association accreditation in 2002, a distinction Ukandu maintains today. In 2009, the first Teen Retreat was held at YMCA Camp Collins.
In 2014, Camp Ukandu was established as an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and shortly after the organization's first Executive Director was hired in 2016. The expansion and growth of programs prompted a formal name change from Camp Ukandu to Ukandu in 2018 to better reflect the breadth of programs being offered.
As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Camp Ukandu was not held for the first time since it’s inception. In its place, Virtual Camp Ukandu took place in the summer of 2020 and 2021. The success of virtual camp led Ukandu to maintain virtual programs as a permanent programmatic offering.
Ukandu continued to grow in 2022 introducing both Ukandu Corps and Ukandu Family Camp as well as growing to include 4 total paid staff.
In 2024, Ukandu announced their biggest expansion yet, The Ukandu Loft. This will be a permanent headquarters and welcoming hub for Ukandu participants, volunteers, and staff.
In 2026, Ukandu will open The Loft. An innovative space designed to support families through every phase of the childhood cancer journey. Just minutes away from both major children's hospitals, The Loft, will offer a space for families at every stage of the childhood cancer journey to find community, experience joy, and heal together.
At Ukandu we pride ourselves on being transparent with our community.
Below you can find previous annual reports, financials reports, and more.
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