Sobre Discovery Camps

Campamento desde 1984

De una semana de verano a programas durante todo el año.

  1. 1984

    El primer Camp Discovery, bajo la American Cancer Society

  2. 2013

    La American Cancer Society cierra sus campamentos; los voluntarios de VisionWorks, encabezados por Joey Cavazos, mantienen el campamento en marcha

  3. 2015

    El primer fin de semana de campamento familiar, hoy Camp Ohana

  4. 2016

    El primer Camp Common Ground

  5. 2017

    El primer Camp Firefly y la primera Holiday Party

  6. 2018

    El primer deseo concedido

  7. 2019

    El primer Camp Brave Hearts y el primer viaje de ARCH

  8. 2022

    VisionWorks se convierte en Discovery Camps

Nuestra historia

Camp Discovery comenzó en 1984 bajo la American Cancer Society. Cuando la ACS cerró sus campamentos en 2013, los voluntarios que habían formado VisionWorks, encabezados por Joey Cavazos, mantuvieron el campamento en marcha. Desde 2022 somos Discovery Camps.

El primer Camp Discovery fue patrocinado por la American Cancer Society en 1984 y se realizó en YMCA Camp Flaming Arrow, en Hunt, Texas, con unos 50 campistas. Con los años cambiamos de sede conforme crecía el número de campistas; también nos recibieron Hermann Sons Camp, en Comfort, y Morgan's Camp, en San Antonio. Hoy Camp Discovery se realiza en Texas Lions Camp, en Kerrville, y en 2026 asistieron 110 campistas.

En 2013, la American Cancer Society anunció que dejaría de patrocinar campamentos de oncología pediátrica en todo el país. La ACS le ofreció a VisionWorks, la organización sin fines de lucro que nuestros voluntarios habían formado, la oportunidad de tomar el campamento bajo su cargo, y aceptamos. Desde entonces hemos ampliado mucho nuestros programas: campamentos familiares, un campamento para familias en duelo, campamentos en el hospital y otros programas para niños y familias que viven con el cáncer.

Con el tiempo vimos que el nombre VisionWorks no reflejaba la misión de nuestros programas. En honor a nuestro programa principal, Camp Discovery, en 2022 cambiamos nuestro nombre a Discovery Camps. Discovery Camps es el nombre que abarca todos los programas de campamento que ofrecemos.

El campamento es una familia, no un lugar.

Hope is Profound | 25 Years of Transformation at Discovery Camps · 3:41 · En inglés · Ver en YouTube

Por qué lo hacemos

Fortalecer a los niños y las familias que viven con el cáncer infantil a través de experiencias de campamento transformadoras que cultivan la alegría, la resiliencia y la unión familiar.

Nuestros programas les dan a los niños con cáncer una experiencia de campamento divertida y normal que quizá no podrían tener en un campamento residencial tradicional, y al mismo tiempo fomentan nuevas habilidades, el crecimiento individual y el desarrollo personal. Nuestros programas familiares permiten que toda la familia disfrute de un fin de semana relajado de actividades de campamento y conozca a otras familias que han recorrido un camino parecido con su hijo.

Nuestra visión: Un mundo donde cada niño con cáncer pueda vivir la alegría, la sanación y el apoyo de una comunidad de campamento compasiva.

CompasiónUn lugar de cariño para cada campista y cada familia.
InclusiónCampamento para cada niño, sin importar su origen ni sus capacidades.
ResilienciaFuerza que crece en los momentos difíciles, juntos.
AlegríaLos niños pueden simplemente ser niños.

Nuestro fundador

Joey Cavazos

Fundador y primer Director Ejecutivo · 1984 a 2021

La experiencia para siempre

A mediados de los años noventa, en una sesión de Camp Discovery en Hermann Sons Camp, a las afueras de San Antonio, una adolescente llamada Renee pasaba la que sabía que sería su última semana de campamento. Una noche de esa semana, la cabaña de los mayores durmió al aire libre en las canchas de tenis, bajo las estrellas. Joey era su consejero de cabaña.

Renee se volvió hacia él y le dijo:

Joey, gracias por darme esta experiencia para siempre.

Esa frase lo acompañó durante dos décadas. Cuando Discovery Camps se convirtió en una organización propia en 2013, Joey cambió el logotipo. Hoy el lema de Camp Discovery dice: A forever experience, una experiencia para siempre.

Es de Renee.

El hombre que lo construyó

Joey Cavazos entró a la universidad para estudiar ingeniería forestal. La eligió porque quería trabajar en el bosque y no estar rodeado de gente. A cualquiera que lo conoció después le da risa. Terminó siendo una de las personas más incansablemente dedicadas a los demás que su comunidad había visto.

El campamento cambió eso.

En el verano de 1984, la American Cancer Society se acercó a YMCA Camp Flaming Arrow, en Hunt, Texas, para pedir ayuda y abrir un campamento de verano para niños con cáncer. Ese verano se realizó el primer Camp Discovery. Joey, entonces un estudiante universitario que trabajaba en Camp Flaming Arrow, ayudó a organizarlo.

Los niños que conoció esa semana se convirtieron en el centro del resto de su vida.

Tras graduarse en 1985, Joey comenzó su carrera de 25 años en el Departamento de Libertad Condicional Juvenil del Condado de Bexar, donde con el tiempo fundó el Programa Ropes y supervisó la Unidad de Pandillas. Cada año, sin excepción, tomaba una semana de vacaciones para volver a Camp Discovery. Consejero de cabaña. Coordinador del curso de cuerdas. Director voluntario del campamento. Lo que el campamento necesitara, en eso se convertía.

Cuando la American Cancer Society retiró su financiamiento nacional para los campamentos de oncología pediátrica en 2013, Camp Discovery corría el riesgo de cerrar. La respuesta de Joey fue sencilla:

No. Eso no va a pasar. Es demasiado importante.

VisionWorks, una organización sin fines de lucro que Joey y otros voluntarios habían formado discretamente años antes, estaba lista. Joey, recién jubilado de las fuerzas del orden, se convirtió en su primer Director Ejecutivo. Lo que construyó después es la organización que hoy dirige ocho programas: Camp Discovery, Camp Brave Hearts (financiado y en marcha a los siete meses de que un campista le preguntara a Joey si podía llevar el campamento al hospital), Camp Ohana, Camp Firefly, Camp Common Ground, ARCH, la Holiday Party y Wishes Granted.

En 2022, VisionWorks cambió su nombre a Discovery Camps para reflejar todo lo que Joey había construido.

El legado continúa

En 2013, a Joey le diagnosticaron el síndrome de Lynch, una condición genética que lo hacía propenso a varios tipos de cáncer. Durante los ocho años siguientes le diagnosticaron cinco cánceres distintos, cada uno detectado a tiempo y tratado con cirugía. Nunca pasó por quimioterapia ni radiación. Le decía a su familia que sentía la culpa del sobreviviente: lo llamaban sobreviviente de cáncer, pero veía lo que vivían sus campistas, y no le parecía que la misma palabra aplicara.

En abril de 2021, una pequeña convulsión llevó a un diagnóstico distinto. Glioblastoma. A la familia le dijeron que esperara alrededor de dieciocho meses.

Joey falleció seis semanas después, el 17 de mayo de 2021.

En julio de ese año, Camp Discovery se realizó sin él por primera vez en 37 años.

Y se realizó de todos modos.

Los voluntarios regresaron. Los campistas regresaron. Se inscribieron voluntarios nuevos, y la mayoría de ellos, entonces y ahora, fueron campistas antes. Los programas en los hospitales continuaron. Los fines de semana familiares continuaron. Los programas que Joey soñaba con ampliar siguieron creciendo.

Discovery Camps existe hoy porque Joey construyó algo que no dependía de que él estuviera presente. Lo construyó para que durara más que él. Y la comunidad que reunió (campistas, familias, voluntarios, donantes, aliados) decidió seguir construyendo.

Camp Discovery sigue siendo una experiencia para siempre. Las palabras de Renee siguen siendo el ancla de este trabajo.

Joey's Legacy: Five Years · 1:41 · En inglés · Ver en YouTube

Haga una donación en memoria de Joey

La familia Cavazos, cuatro personas abrazadas en una colina del campamento al atardecer.
Joey Cavazos sonríe desde el asiento de un carrito de golf del campamento.
Joey Cavazos, con una camiseta teñida, dirige un juego en el campo del campamento.
Consejeros presentan una obra sobre una roca para un grupo de campistas, en una foto antigua del campamento.

Junta directiva

9 voluntarios que gobiernan Discovery Camps. Toque un nombre para leer su historia.

Mesa directiva

Leah DabaghianLeah DabaghianPresidentaEspecialista certificada en vida infantil (Child Life)

Leah is a Certified Child Life Specialist with over 20 years of experience working with children and families at several San Antonio Children’s Hospitals. She is a graduate of Baylor University and has been dedicated to helping children and families cope with challenging healthcare experiences. Her work with Pediatric Oncology patients connected her with Camp Discovery in 2002, where she served as program director for 10 years.

Currently Leah works as a Certified Child Life Specialist at Baptist Children's Hospital at North Central in San Antonio. She is married to her husband Rob, and together they are raising three girls, Brooklyn, Sydney, and Savannah.

Karen TorgesKaren TorgesVicepresidenta y SecretariaDirectora de Participación Comunitaria, CHC: Creating Healthier Communities

Karen Torges “KT” currently serves as Vice President of the Board for Discovery Camps. She has over thirty-five years of experience in non-profit management, strategic planning, relationship and project management, and collaborations. She has worked extensively with volunteer groups at the local, state and national level on multiple public health issues.

KT helped initiate Camp Discovery and had the pleasure of working directly with the program for its first sixteen years. She’s been engaged as leadership with the Discovery Camps board for the past nine years and is proud of the expansion of this important effort to reach and serve more special children and their families.

Karen currently serves as Community Engagement Director for CHC: Creating Healthier Communities, a nationwide nonprofit that works to bring communities, non-profits and businesses together around a shared commitment of better health and wellbeing.

Emad GuirguisEmad GuirguisTesoreroFundador, SimpliBookkeeping

Emad Guirguis founded SimpliBookkeeping in 2019 with one goal in mind, to help companies and organizations grow and focus on what they do best. He takes on the work that most do not have the time to do and because of his dedication and niche to help small companies and organizations, many continue to grow and flourish.

As part of a growing industry and company, he strives and continuously supports his clients and their networks. By helping these businesses and organizations with a sound structure and basis, it has led to stability and growth for them.

Directores

Dr. Maria Falcon-CantrillDr. Maria Falcon-CantrillHematóloga y oncóloga pediatra

Dr. Falcon-Cantrill grew up in Converse, Texas and graduated from Judson High School. She received her undergraduate degree at the University of the Incarnate Word and her medical degree from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. She also completed a residency in Pediatrics and a fellowship in Pediatric Hematology and Oncology at the UT Health Science Center. Dr. Falcon-Cantrill is currently a Pediatric Hematologist and Oncologist at Methodist Children’s Hospital in San Antonio. She started volunteering at Camp Discovery as a camp physician in 2010.

Keaton FriebergKeaton FriebergAbogado y socio, Texas Suits Law

Keaton Frieberg is an attorney and a partner at Texas Suits Law. Keaton wears many hats, as he is also an owner of “To The Moon Moving” based in New Braunfels, Texas. Keaton earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of New Mexico, and attended St. Mary’s University, where he earned his Juris Doctorate. Keaton is deeply engaged in his community and passionately invests his time in mentoring high school students in San Antonio. He serves as a mentor in a “Shark Tank”-style class, where he helps prepare students for the intricacies of the startup process.

Don GregoryDon GregoryVoluntario de Camp Discovery desde 2004

Don has been involved with Camp Discovery since 2004. At the time, he was working with a San Antonio based company that was very supportive of the camp. Part of his job was to volunteer at Camp Discovery. The job was temporary but the relationship with Camp Discovery will be for a lifetime. The first 10 years were spent as a cabin counselor with Red Boys (7–8 year-old campers). After that, Don moved to the job of preparing previous campers to transition to the role of cabin counselor. Currently he is overseeing Digital Discovery, a camper photography experience. Over the years, he has served on the planning committee for Camp Discovery and is honored to sit on the board of directors of Discovery Camps. Don lives in the Round Rock, TX area with his lovely wife Ruth.

Holly KubaneyHolly KubaneyEnfermera practicante pediátrica, Austin

Holly brings over 25 years of pediatric oncology expertise to Discovery Camps’ Board of Directors. As a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner at Dell Children’s Blood & Cancer Center in Austin, she provides comprehensive care for children and adolescents with cancer and blood disorders. Holly’s dedication to pediatric oncology extends beyond her clinical practice: she serves in leadership roles with the Association of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Nurses and the Children’s Oncology Group, and has co-authored manuscripts published in the New England Journal of Medicine, Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing, Oncology Nursing, and the Journal of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Nursing.

Holly’s connection to childhood cancer camping began in 1993 when she volunteered as a camp counselor in Northeast Ohio. She has served as a Camp Discovery provider for the past three years and believes deeply in the transformative power of the camp experience. “I believe that every child who has had or has cancer should have a camp experience,” Holly shares. She earned her Master’s degree from Kent State University and Bachelor’s from Case Western Reserve University. Holly is particularly interested in supporting Discovery Camps’ marketing initiatives and expanding community awareness throughout the greater Austin area.

Howie NestelHowie NestelFundador y presidente, Sharkmatic Advertising

Howie Nestel has been creating an extraordinary life by serving through non-profit leadership and philanthropy in his position as Founder and President of San Antonio-based Sharkmatic Advertising over the past 30 years. He has provided sales and marketing services to more than 1,500 companies nationwide including Coca-Cola, DuPont, MTV, and Procter & Gamble, as well as to prominent local and regional businesses including Brake Check, Methodist Healthcare, and The Wash Tub.

Marketing is Howie’s professional passion, but he has also launched and owned more than 20 small businesses. These enterprises provided a range of services including meal prep, video production, screen-printing, and automobile brokering. Howie is a proud father of 3 children. He is fluent in English and Spanish. He graduated from the University of Texas Business School in Austin and has lived and worked in Canada, Central America, Europe, Israel, Mexico, and the United States.

In addition to running Sharkmatic, Howie holds leadership positions with numerous non-profit organizations and has donated his time, his talents, and collaborated with more than 100 nonprofits. Of all his charitable endeavors, Howie is very proud of his legacy of launching and leading the largest annual collection drive for the homeless in San Antonio, called Gotcha Covered, which is now celebrating its 28th year.

Jaime C. SepulvedaJaime C. SepulvedaCorredor y propietario, Strategic Property Management

Jaime C. Sepulveda is a San Antonio–based real estate investor, broker, and community leader with nearly two decades of experience helping families and investors build long-term stability through homeownership and real estate. Jaime is the Broker-Owner of Strategic Property Management, where he oversees hundreds of single-family rental homes across the greater San Antonio and Boerne area. He is also a founding partner of SkillSet Homes, an investment group focused on revitalizing neighborhoods through thoughtful renovation, responsible ownership, and long-term community stewardship.

Beyond business, Jaime is deeply committed to giving back. He is actively involved in multiple local nonprofits and service organizations, including Boerne 100, the Rotary Club of Fair Oaks Ranch, and youth leadership programs such as EarlyAct and Interact. His work often centers on creating opportunities for young people, first-time homebuyers, and families who may not otherwise see a clear path forward.

Jaime brings a unique perspective to the Discovery Camps board, blending financial strategy, operational leadership, and a heart for service. He believes that when young people are given access, mentorship, and belief in their own potential, it can change the trajectory of an entire family for generations. Jaime lives in the Boerne area with his wife Kathy and their son, and he considers community service not just something he does but part of who he is.

Personal

Tres personas dirigen ocho programas, con cientos de voluntarios a su lado.

Jennifer CavazosJennifer CavazosDirectora Ejecutiva

Jennifer began volunteering at Camp Discovery in 1990 as a cabin counselor, spending more than a decade in the Red Girls cabin with the 7–8 year old girls. After taking several years off from volunteering at camp to raise her own children, she returned as a Camp Discovery volunteer in 2016 in the program office. Jennifer had worked as the part-time administrative assistant for Discovery Camps since 2013, assisting the Executive Director with the administrative duties required to provide our programs. In 2021, Jennifer assumed the role of Executive Director after the death of her husband Joey, who had been the founding Executive Director of VisionWorks (now Discovery Camps).

Jennifer is a retired pharmacist and a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy. Her pharmacy career spanned over 33 years, working in both retail and mail service pharmacy practice. In January 2025, Jennifer earned a Master of Science degree in Nonprofit Management with a concentration in Camp Administration from Gratz College.

Zeff GomesZeff GomesDirector de Operaciones

Zeferino “Zeff” Gomes, a U.S. Army Veteran, has worked as a Medical Laboratory Scientist for 35 years. He has worked for several hospitals and clinics across the United States and overseas, most recently in the Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Lab at the Children’s Hospital of San Antonio. Due to his career as a soldier and working in the hospital environment, he understands the values of having a serving mentality. “Working with children and their families has brought me more joy, success and accomplishment than any other job ever could.”

Over the years, Zeff has held a variety of roles for Discovery Camps. He began as a cabin counselor for the 7 and 8 year old Red Boys in 2005, then he progressed to head counselor, planning committee member, and eventually Camp Discovery Co-Director. In 2019, he gave up his job in the Lab and has been the full-time Program Director for Discovery Camps since then.

Heather Donnella, MA, LPCHeather Donnella, MA, LPCDirectora de Programas Especiales

Heather is a Licensed Professional Counselor and the Director of Special Programs at Discovery Camps. She has been involved with Camp since 2015 where she began by volunteering on the ropes course. She officially joined the team in 2019 during the first year of their in-hospital program, Camp Brave Hearts.

Heather received her Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Texas State University in 2021, and is a practicing psychotherapist at a private practice in downtown San Antonio. Heather strongly believes in the benefits of camp, and loves being able to utilize her background in mental health to emphasize the naturally occurring therapeutic component that camp has to offer.

Rendimos cuentas a cada familia y a cada donante

Acreditados, inspeccionados y transparentes. Todos los programas son gratuitos para las familias, y cada donación está contabilizada.

Nombre legal
Discovery Camps, Inc.
EIN
74-2924336
Finanzas
Formularios 990 en Candid
Licencia de campamento
Programa de Campamentos Juveniles del DSHS de Texas