Crystal Langford was in sixth grade when her mother, Carmen Bedwell, was diagnosed with breast cancer. Two years later, Langford faced another heart-wrenching diagnosis when doctors told her father, Chuck Bedwell, he had a brain tumor and only six months left to live.
Although both of Langford’s parents are cancer survivors, she struggled with her emotions during those years, often keeping her feelings to herself. But her strong faith in God and positive outlook on life helped her stay hopeful and focused on the needs of others. During her senior year in high school — while her mother battled cancer again — Langford began a cancer support group called Classmates Offering Peers Encouragement (COPE) for middle school students with a loved one facing cancer.
Each week during that school year, she met with about eight students, providing them with information on cancer and offering a forum to discuss their feelings. After graduation, Langford could no longer lead the support group.
Yet her desire to help other children cope with cancer remained. This initiated her dream of opening a camp for children like those she helped through the support group.
"[I wanted to] get the kids away from the situation, let them enjoy themselves in an environment where other kids were going through the same situation of having a loved one with cancer and, at the same time, offer opportunities for them to express their feelings and share their concerns in small groups," said Langford, who attends The Church at Brook Hills, Birmingham, in Birmingham Baptist Association.
One year later, her dream became a reality.
In 2001, she was recognized for her work with COPE and given the Prudential Spirit of Community Award for being Alabama’s top high school volunteer.
Shortly after, Langford and her family were featured in The Birmingham News and the Alabama Foundation for Oncology (AFO) contacted them about starting a camp for children with a loved one facing cancer.
The organization had already established Camp Newsong to help children who had lost a loved one, and in 2002, AFO held its first Camp Newhope, a free biannual camp for children ages 6 to 18.
"When someone in a family is diagnosed with cancer, it not only affects them, it affects the whole family. Camp Newhope is there to help children during this difficult and often confusing time," said Sissy Hobbs, foundation coordinator.
Langford, now 23 and newly married, is at every camp, and she is always accompanied by her mother, father and husband, Les.
"Just being there and being a part of the camp is a blessing to us all," said Carmen Bedwell, a member of Brook Hills. "Knowing that we can offer some hope to [the children] during this time is why we are involved."
For more information about Camp Newhope, call 205-877-2225 or visit www.alfoundationforoncology.org.
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