About Us

Camp Kivita has now sunset our operations. We were an independent summer camp for children with heart, kidney, liver, lung and bowel transplants, as well as those living with organ failure in operation for since 2008.

Stating Aug 2025, Campfire Circle (formerly Camp Ooch & Trillium) will provide camp to children with transplants and organ failure. From 2008 to 2024, Kivita provided camp to children with transplants and organ failure. While we cancelled our program due to Covid-19 in 2020, and in 2021, we were again required to cancel in person camp, however, we proudly pivoted to provide a virtual summer program that allowed our transplant community to connect and have fun. With 76 campers participating and 8 leaders in training, as well as campers from across Canada (including Alberta and Nova Scotia) it was amazing to come together. In 2022, we were back to in person camp with 76 campers who participated in an amazing summer, and provided camp to ~100 campers in 2023 and 2024 before sunsetting our operations in Aug 2024.

We fundraised to cover the cost of the registration fees for each camper ensuring all campers can attend with no fees. Thank you to all our donors, partners and stakeholders for all of your incredible support over the years! We hope that you will all consider supporting campfire circle in their operations.

Camp Kivita"s blog has pictures, memories and reflections of past summers.

Camp Mission

Our mission was to provide an overnight summer camp experience for children living with solid organ transplants (heart, liver, kidney, lung, and bowel transplants) and end stage organ failure (liver, kidney, and intestinal failure) to enhance their quality of life. We also strove to raise awareness for organ donation and transplantation to transform lives.

The Magic Of Camp

Camp Kivita was a magical place that provides campers the opportunity to meet other children who have had similar healthcare experiences and to participate in a camp experience that allows them to improve competency, promote independence, self-esteem and leadership skills, and most of all to have fun. There are unparalleled opportunities at camp for learning, for the development of positive attitudes, and values, and experiences. These hidden lessons in living are the result of day-to-day cabin life shared with other children of similar age and healthcare experiences, all under the guidance and supervision of caring, knowledgeable and understanding leaders with some relationship to the field of organ failure and transplantation. We have been immensely grateful to be entrusted with your children, and work tirelessly to ensure the best summer camp experience for each camper. We know that Campfire Circle will continue to provide a phenomenal experience and are excited about the future of camp in their amazing hands.

History of Camp Kivita

Camp for children with chronic illnesses can be life changing. Camp Kivita, a camp for children living with organ transplants and those with end-stage organ failure, partnered again with Camp Wenonah since summer 2018! Camp Wenonah is accredited with the Ontario Camping Association and is well suited to host Camp Kivita. In 2009, thirty children attended at the CNIB Lake Joe site, and in 2010 our numbers grew to forty children but the demand was greater than space available. In 2011 and 2012 we expanded to allow more children to attend and offered children waiting for a transplant and living with end stage intestinal, liver and kidney disease (on dialysis) the opportunity to attend. In 2013 it was time to find a new camp home and expand programming and leadership opportunities for our children at our new site at Camp Wenonah in Bracebridge, Ontario and 65 children attended each year between 2013-2016. In 2017 we grew to accommodate 75 camper spots, and for 2019 we aim to take 85 campers. In 2020 we had planned to grow and have capacity for 130 campers - we are very excited to be expanding!! In 2021 we hosted virtual kivita as we continued to face the covid-19 pandemic that allowed us to expand beyond Ontario and open up to campers across Canada. We were thrilled to be back in person in 2022 and provided camp to 100 campers in 2023 and 2024. From summer 2025 onwards we have sunset kivita operations to allow Campfire Circle to take on transplant population as part of their expanding camp operations.

Camp Kivita was organized by the Board of Directors, formerly the Transplant Camp Advisory Committee and leadership team.