Introduction

 „Bátor Tábor is a machine, in which children are thrown, and a healthier, happier and more courageous child comes out.”

/Peti, 15/ 

 In a loving family a child is one of the most important values, and if the child is diagnosed with a serious illness, the family’s life changes. Pleasures previously believed to be natural disappear from everyday life. Anxiety, fear and pain become the centre of life. This state of life blocks the physical and spiritual development of the child, whose relationship with its peers is hindered, and whose friends find it hard to understand him. Accepting and overcoming the illness is much easier once there is a cheerful and accepting, loving environment around, which attentively listens to and resolves anxiety that rose from the illness. That is what Bátor Tábor is about. 

 Bátor Tábor was established in 2001, and offers complex therapeutic recreation programs for children with cancer, diabetes, JRA or haemophilia and for their families. In the summer Children’s Camps, in the spring and fall Family Camps and Sibling Camps are offered free of charge to the campers and their families.

Every year, there are 500 campers in our session who can participate in programs that they otherwise might miss out on due to their illnesses. Be it rowing, horseback-riding, archery, arts & crafts, dancing, music, sports, acting or high-ropes courses, all programs are meant to provide a feeling of success, which positively influences their self-esteem and recovery process. In the past eight years, due to the cooperation of the hospitals, over 2,300 campers came to camp. 

The magic of Bátor Tábor is primarily due to our volunteers’ (or as we call them “Cimboras”) unbelievable energy. Since 2001, the ten-day contribution of more than 1800 cimboras provided carefree experiences to the children we serve.  There are volunteer health professionals among them who guarantee the safety of children throughout the camp.

Our campground is situated 60kms north of Budapest by a town called Hatvan, in Hungary. Every building and facility has been constructed to meet the needs of children with serious illness. Children’s’ cottages are built to sleep up to 40 children or 14 families, and our refectory can seat 160 guests. Medical attendance is backed up by a friendly and well-equipped medical building. Furthermore, we are very proud of our high-ropes course, the rowing lake, the archery field, a synthetic turf football pitch, and the indoor sports hall.

Bátor Tábor is a member of the Association of Hole in the Wall Camps that began more than 20 years ago by the Academy Award winning actor, Paul Newman. The international camp association has 11 members all over the world treating children with chronic illnesses through a method, we call therapeutic recreation.

Considering its methods and its attitude to children, Bátor Tábor is a unique initiative in Central Europe. We aim at becoming the regional therapeutic recreation centre of Central European children, making the affirming adventures available for Hungarian, Slovakian, Czech and Polish children, offering free therapeutic recreation programs with the highest level of quality all year long.