Mary Casey, RN, BScN

RESEARCH COMMITTEE, AUTHOR OF CAMP HEALTH CARE

Mary Casey started her camp nursing career in 1954 at Camp Ahshunyoong, Ontario. Camp Ahshunyoong was a Canadian Girls in Training (CGIT) camp administered by a church-based group who were quite advanced in their thinking given the era: there was lots of good health teaching with a resounding emphasis on prevention. With that introduction to camping, Mary went on to be a nurse at several Easter Seals camps. This was followed by an invitation to serve as the Health Consultant at Camp Big Canoe (still in Canada) where she remains today as Board chair.

As Mary worked in her healthcare role for Camp Big Canoe, nurses continually asked for written guidelines. Nothing existed to guide camp nursing practice. In addition, two senior "trippers" wanted something written about health and injury management while on trips. This was the beginning of Mary's book. The first edition, called The Nurse and the Health Program at Camp, was published in 1978. Since then, the book has undergone several revisions and Jack Pearse of Camp Tawingo took over publication. The most recent update, Camp Health Care, was released in 1997 and is available for $12 Canadian or $10 USA by contacting Mary (address below).

While undertaking book revisions, Mary longed for a group of nurses to discuss the very things about which she was writing. This was the beginning of what is known today as the Ontario Camping Association's (OCA) healthcare committee. Several camp nurses are now part of OCA's healthcare committee. They meet regularly and provide an annual camp nursing workshop as well as leadership to Canadian camps in the area of camp health.

CONTACT/ORDER INFORMATION

Mary Casey, BScN
235 Shakespeare Drive
Waterloo, ON N2L 2T5

micasey@sympatico.ca