About CHAMPS Camp

Children’s Healthy-Heart Activity Monitoring Program in Saskatchewan (or CHAMPS) began as a vision from heart mom Lynne Telfer (RN), who saw a need for more support for children with congenital or acquired heart disease (CHD) in Saskatchewan. Resources were limited or non-existent, so she turned to researchers at the College of Kinesiology and College of Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan to help turn her ideas into reality. 

CHAMPS Camp was developed through the hard work and dedication of heart moms Lynne Telfer, Juanita Praksas and Anna Maton, Pediatric Cardiologists and Nurse Clinicians from Jim Pattison Children's Hospital, researchers from the College of Kinesiology & College of Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan, and researchers from the Department of Psychology at the University of Regina. 

"At the first summer camp one of the heart children said to me that ‘I have never met another heart kid, I thought I was the only one.’ That took my breath away and made me tear up. It showed the impact of just meeting another heart child had and that they didn’t have to feel they were the only ones anymore."

– Lynne Telfer, Registered Nurse & Patient Advocate, Mending Little Hearts Team

In 2015, the first CHAMPS summer day camp was held at the University of Saskatchewan. Since then, positive feedback and continued support from heart families have contributed to the success and growth of CHAMPS camp. There are two CHAMPS programs in Saskatchewan each year; our week-long summer day camp, usually the last week in July in Saskatoon, and our fall/winter program, which runs every 2-3 weeks on Saturdays in both Saskatoon and Regina. 

CHAMPS Camp Saskatchewan is supported by the Mending Little Hearts Fund of Saskatchewan and local sponsors. 

Our current CHAMPS Camp programs are for children between the ages of 4 and 17 years with congenital or acquired heart disease. There are three pillars for our programming:

• Physical activity promotion and participation

• Heart health and heart health behaviour promotion

• Psychological well-being 

CHAMPS Camp has changed the landscape of pediatric cardiac care in Saskatchewan. Over the past 7 years, our programs have provided unique resources for heart families unlike any other offered in Canada. CHAMPS gives campers and their families a chance to meet others who experience similar challenges and fears – fostering lifelong friendships and support networks. Due to past individual health circumstances, campers may have been unable or discouraged to play sports or engage in physically demanding activities. Camp provides an environment where they can try new things and gain confidence in their abilities. Campers and heart families also have access to clinical health psychology sessions that focus on topics such as anxiety, depression, and PTSD.

Read about a camper's experience and testimonial HERE.