The Madden Open Hearts Camp is a small, caring and supportive community. The camp environment aims to bring out the best in each camper and is designed to foster friendships, learning, self-confidence, independence, mutual respect and trust. All children are encouraged to surpass their own expectations of themselves. While encouraging 'challenge by choice,' the Madden Open Hearts Camp program and the camp staff are sensitive to the perceived and actual constraints in each child's physical abilities, and to their individual levels of confidence. The small number of children (15-20+ depending on the session) enables counselors to focus on each camper, and enables special bonds among campers and between campers and counselors.

Girls and boys, ages 8-16, who have had open heart surgery or a heart transplant, and have fully recovered from that surgery, can attend the Madden Open Hearts Camp. All campers are required to have a physical examination by their physician as well as a written assessment by their cardiologist in the months before camp. A thorough set of health forms completed and signed by both physician and parent/guardian must be sent to camp prior to the camper's arrival in order to ensure the health and well being of all children at camp. This policy is intended to ensure that the Madden Open Hearts Camp's medical staff have up to date information about each child's individual needs. The goal is for campers to receive the best care possible while at camp.

While the majority of campers come from the Northeastern United States, the Madden Open Hearts Camp is open to children from across the country and beyond. We are delighted to have had many campers from Canada over the past several years.