KATFISH Family Camp
July 25 – 27, 2025
Auburn, WA
KATFISH Family Camp provides a safe and inclusive environment for families with a child diagnosed with rheumatic disease to come together and enjoy a weekend of camp! Campers and family members of all ages participate in a variety of activities including swimming, rock wall climbing, ropes course, campfires and education around diagnoses and support! Throughout the weekend, our camp families foster strong relationships with others who understand their challenges. We strive to help youth and families develop coping and advocacy skills, increase independence and confidence and gain medical knowledge to further understand their diagnoses.
• Wake up and get ready!
• Gentle morning warm-up
• Breakfast
• Meds
• Morning activities (crafts, physical activity and education series)
• Lunch
• Afternoon activities (varies each day)
• Cabin time followed by rest time
• Free time
• Dinner
• Evening activity (varies each day)
• Night meds and wind down
• Lights out
KATFISH Family Camp Leadership & Staff
Leeza Broome, Volunteer Leader
First and foremost, Leeza is a JA Warrior mom! Her son, Kyle, now 15, has been dealing with oligoarticular (now extended oligo) juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) since age 1 1/2! Leeza’s son Ryan, 12, also has an autoimmune GI issue, so the family is very familiar with the struggles of invisible disease life. After their first KATFISH Family Camp in 2013, Leeza joined the planning committee the next year, and the entire family (including her husband, Jack) considers camp their favorite weekend of the year! Leeza calls herself a "professional volunteer," as she has served on the KATFISH planning committee, as a Platinum Ambassador, on The Walk to Cure Arthritis Committee, volunteered at Jingle Bell Run and Bone Bash, and as Camp Director for the past two years. She has also served as a staff member of the Arthritis Foundation as a temp Events Coordinator for Bone Bash in 2022 and 2023. And Kyle has been quite the self-advocate and volunteer on many of these events! Leeza says she is excited to see our greater JA family once again and welcome new members for their favorite weekend!
Isabel Mullins, Volunteer Leader
Isabel “Izzy” has been attending camp since she was 12 years old. She was diagnosed with JIA the October before her 11th birthday. Isabel got involved with KATFISH Family Camp by coming to camp and later became a counselor when she was old enough. She is currently working on her master’s degree in occupational therapy and wants to work with kids with disabilities once she’s in practice. She enjoys golfing, reading, playing with her pet bunny, Lola, and hiking around the beautiful Pacific Northwest that she calls home. Isabel is excited to now be a part of the planning committee and make camp a fun experience for kids and teens who are attending!
Courtney Bruce, Volunteer Leader
Courtney is honored to be on the KATFISH Family Camp committee. Her daughter, Taylor, was diagnosed with JIA at 18 months of age. Since then, Courtney has volunteered with the Arthritis Foundation for over 20 years now. During this time, she has created a team as well as worked on the committee for her local Walk to Cure Arthritis and Jingle Bell Run. She is also a platinum ambassador, meeting with her local and state senators and representatives on advocacy issues. Her true passion though is KATFISH Family Camp! Courtney and her family attended the very first camp in 2004 and each consecutive year except one. She says is it is a wonderful weekend for families to connect with Arthritis Foundation staff, volunteers and other families going through similar diagnoses. Courtney says both she and her daughter, Taylor, are excited to see you at camp!
Helen Emery, MD, Medical Director
Dr. Emery began training in pediatric rheumatology in 1975. Dr. Emery says it has been amazing to see the advances in care for children with rheumatic diseases since then. She says it has been a privilege to be able to travel with so many families as they progress in their journey with these conditions. Dr. Emery is originally from Australia (“no, I don’t have an accent, you do”), and has fond memories of both urban life and her uncle’s sheep station there. But most of her life, as mother and now grandmother, she has been here in the U.S. She says she is grateful to have cared for so many “adopted“ kids over the years.
Stephen Wong, MD, Medical Director
Dr. Wong obtained his medical degree at Eastern Virginia Medical School. He completed his pediatric residency at Loma Linda University and pediatric rheumatology fellowship at University of California, Los Angeles. Dr. Wong has been on staff as pediatric rheumatologist at Seattle Children’s Hospital since 2020 and heads the Inflammatory Brain Disorders Clinic. He also holds positions on the Arthritis Foundation Great West Medical Advisory Board and Arthritis Foundation DEI Science Summit Committee. Dr. Wong has participated in multiple Arthritis Foundation JA camps as speaker and medical volunteer. In his spare time, he enjoys wildlife/nature photography, playing badminton and spending time with his wife and dog.
Volunteer?
Ever thought of being a camp counselor?
Being a counselor at JA Camp is FUN and rewarding! If you need volunteer, practicum or observation hours, this may qualify, and we can help! Click here to get started with your volunteer application.
Become a VolunteerJA Camp = Fun, Friendships and Lifelong Memories
JA Camp = Fun, Friendships and Lifelong Memories
National Supporting Sponsors
Thank you to our 2025 National JA Camps sponsors for making this memorable experience possible.
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