Meet one of CCC’s fantastic volunteers, Erin Renze! Erin is an Iowa native but now lives in Omaha, NE. She’s a pediatric congenital cardiac anesthesiologist at Children’s Nebraska in Omaha.
Erin first volunteered with Children’s Cancer Connection several years ago with in-hospital/in-clinic arts and crafts activities, and in arts and crafts at Oncology and Sibling camps while she was working on her pre-medicine undergraduate studies. She returned as a medical volunteer at 2023 Sibling Camp, and CCC was thrilled to have her back! You see, like many of CCC’s volunteers, Erin is a past camper herself.
Erin’s brother Ryan Enabnit had a medulloblastoma at the age of 5. He was a camper at Oncology Camp, and she was a camper at Sibling Camp from the ages of 5-18. Her younger brother Eric was also a camper.
“Camp was hands down our favorite time of year, and some of our best friendships and memories came from Camp Heart Connection,” Erin said. “I always knew I wanted to come back as a volunteer and help to give back to a place that means so much to me and was such a significant part of my childhood.”
Erin said volunteering with Iowa children who are affected by childhood cancer is truly a rewarding experience.
“The children who have or have defeated cancer have gone through so much already in their lives. At camp, they get to spend time at a place with people who understand them and their journey. My brother Ryan was so blessed to have camp growing up and to be at the place he loved the most and where he fit in and felt special,” she said. “For me it was being with people who understood the journey of being the sibling of someone with cancer. We were able to share our stories, our experiences, our heartaches and unfortunately for some, the loss of a sibling to cancer. We were able to heal together.”
Erin is the mom of three sons ages 15, 13 and 7, who keep her busy back home. She also enjoys running long distances, having completed her first (and hopefully not last) marathon in 2023. She also rode on RAGBRAI.
Thanks, Erin, for all you do to help make sure Camp Heart Connection memories continue on for generations to come!
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