CCRF Connects: Family Programs and Mental Health in Childhood Cancer
How your donation makes emotional support programs like Camp Norden possible for kids with childhood cancer
Webinar: Thursday, November 10th 1:00-2:00 pm CDT
CCRF’s Community Outreach Coordinator and mother of a brain tumor survivor, Mindy Dykes will talk about the importance of mental and emotional support programs for childhood cancer families. Most recently, Mindy helped start Camp Norden, an accessible summer camp for kids with cancer hosted by CCRF. As the 2022 camp director, Mindy will share how the developed confidence, lifelong friendships and adventures directly impacted the campers mental health. Courtney Horvath will follow the presentation with a testimonial for an alternate experience her son attended, Virtual Camp Norden. We will close the afternoon with a Q&A for our speakers.
We believe a world without childhood cancer is possible – but it’s going to take all of us.
Meet the Speakers

Mindy Dykes
Mindy is passionate about creating mental & emotional support programs for kids with childhood cancer. Mindy’s son, Connor, was diagnosed at six weeks old with a brain tumor. It required emergency brain surgery and an aggressive plan to treat the remaining cancer cells. Connor made it through surgery, survived chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant all before he was seven months old. Today, Mindy and her husband are navigating Connor’s survivorship late effects, raising two teenagers and always striving to keep life in balance.

Courtney Horvath
As a Toxicologist, Courtney Horvath has focused her career on ensuring the safety of medicines--but when her own son was diagnosed with lymphoma, it became personal. Courtney is a childhood cancer advocate. Her son, Colby, was a virtual camper this past summer at Camp Norden, an accessible summer camp for kids with cancer.
Past Events
July 2022 CCRF Connects: Hope in Childhood Cancer Research
In this webinar, Laura Sobiech talks about their family's journey from fundraisers to advocates for childhood cancer research, the importance of seed grants and which Osteosarcoma research updates give her hope. Dr. Logan Spector followed with the history of childhood cancer treatments, where we are today and few current research projects that give him hope.
November 2022 CCRF Connects: Family Programs and Mental Health in Childhood Cancer
CCRF’s Community Outreach Coordinator and mother of a brain tumor survivor, Mindy Dykes will talk about the importance of mental and emotional support programs for childhood cancer families. Courtney Horvath will follow with a testimonial for an alternate experience her son attended, Virtual Camp Norden.