Our Story
Camp Casco began when CEO Erin Fletcher Stern moved to Boston to pursue a Ph.D. in Biological and Biomedical Sciences at Harvard University. After volunteering for several years at a camp for children dealing with cancer called Camp Reach For The Sky (CR4TS) in her hometown of San Diego, California, she sought out similar opportunities in the Boston area. When none could be found, she teamed up with Dr. Michael Goldberg, an Assistant Professor of Microbiology and Immunology at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, to co-found Camp Casco in early 2014.
Dr. Michael Goldberg (left) with fellow Board Member Joe Kahn (right) at Campfires & Cocktails 2019.
Our Inspiration
We chose the name “Casco” in honor of Chris Ramirez, a former camper and favorite counselor at CR4TS. At camp, he was called "The Incredible Hulk", and he truly embodied camp spirit. He loved life and never took a day for granted. No one cheered louder, played harder, or made newcomers feel more welcome - even after the brain tumor he defeated as a teenager returned in 2008. He lost a long battle against his cancer in 2013, but his legacy remains. "Casco", Spanish for "Hulk", represents the joy and hope that Chris brought to so many in San Diego, and what we hope Camp Casco will inspire in childhood cancer patients and survivors for years to come.
Chris & Richelle at the Friends of Scott Prom in San Diego, CA in 2012
“Camp is a place for people to go and forget about the struggles and hardships in their lives, and Chris went above and beyond that call. Chris was a hero. He was able to be the happiest, silliest, most optimistic person in any room despite the painful struggle he had with cancer. Although Chris is no longer visible at camp, his spirit remains a permanent staple.”
— Richelle “Railroad” Ramirez
Chris’s sister and 2015 Camp Casco Program Director