'I loved my days in camp, I loved being with the boys and girls here, and the fact of being ill or not, had hair or not, didn't matter. We all felt the same.'

Camper, Portugal

'The caras at Barretstown are really nice, they convince you to do things that you're not sure about. I will miss them so much and I could stay at Barretstown forever!'

Camper, UK

'Barretstown rules because it is so cool!'

Camper, Ireland

'One of the best experiences of my life. I had a great time and I met some lovely people.'

Camper, UK

'High ropes and horse riding have been the best activities! It is funny that you can dance after a meal. It has been a very very very goooooood time!!'

Camper, Austria

'Barretstown has been just great! Even from the beginning everything was nice. The best experience was horse riding. I was afraid of horses a little bit at first but it was easy and fun after all!'

Camper, Hungary

'Life in 2002 was quite boring for me until I heard about Barretstown. I was really quiet at home, but now I mix more with people and talk to more people outside of England.'

Camper, UK

'Barretstown is brilliant, absolutely brilliant. It is one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.'

Camper, UK

'When I had a cough I was taken to the Med Shed for some medicine, after which I felt better. The staff were really nice and also fun. The best thing about Barretstown was how it was set up for all kinds of sick children. I hope it carries on for the next 100 years.'

Camper, UK

Is there any difference in attitude here and at home towards seriously ill children? When I got ill and after the hospital returned to school back, it was so terrible, that I stopped going to school. I could not endure those silly questions : where was I, what had happened to me, why I am so awfully bold and so on and so forth. It was so terribly hard for me, I could not stand it, how badly children treated me, mocking me all the time, I mean, my classmates. Here nobody asks me any silly questions. It is so much easier for me to become friends with children, because everybody knows that all of us were ill and don't torture us with terrible questions. I was at the rehabilitation department in Lipki, near Moscow, but it is so much more interesting here, no comparison at all. It is so much fun here and so many interesting activities.

Anna O. aged 11 Russia

What do you want to say to grown up people working here in this Camp? I would like to express my deep gratitude and thank with all my heart all those people working her for their tender care and sincere love for us kids. A Big, Big THANK YOU to all those people, who sponsored their money so that other sick children from different countries could come here and enjoy Life and be again happy after their illness. Thank you especially for inviting children from Russia. It's a great present for all of us. We really appreciate it, because nobody of us could ever dream to come to such a beautiful camp for children.

Oleg aged 12 Russia

We're having fun the whole day long, playing, singing in the evening, messing with the other children - a lot of children that couldn't do that before as they had to lie in a white room, take medication, and are fed through a tube instead of playing outside. I experienced that as well, but I made it. Three of my best friends died of cancer. You have to forget some of these things and start all over again. I didn't manage to do that so well at home, but we're busy here and we don't need help from others. I learned how to color salt with chalk, and how to cross the lake upside-down. Even if it sounds silly I've never sat in a canoe before. That's why I think the Barretstown Gang Camp is the best place in the world.

Jenny