On a frigid February day at Gunstock Mountain, Madeline Brooks led a band of teens on a cross-country skiing trail through the woods. The group was quiet—the only sound the gentle swooshing of skis through the snow—when one teen’s voice broke the silence with a startling question: “What do you guys think about the afterlife?” Slowly, one youth after another shared their wide-ranging theories of what awaits us on the other side.
Their weighty words played an unlikely accompaniment to the smooth motions of their skiing, but these young people were not your average teenagers. Despite their diversity, they all shared one common denominator: a family member with cancer. Half of the group had lost a parent to the cruel disease, an experience that thrust thoughts of mortality to the forefront of their young minds far too soon. Immersed in this On Belay adventure program, these kids felt safe enough to reveal their deepest thoughts and fears to their peers.
Since 2004, the nonprofit On Belay has provided a wide variety of adventure programs like rock climbing, ropes courses, and backpacking for kids ages eight to 18 who have a loved one suffering from cancer or one who has passed away from the disease. Most kids the organization serves have parents with cancer, but others have siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles, or even best friends who are cancer-stricken. On Belay’s programs take place across New Hampshire, Maine, and northern Massachusetts and help young people from every New England state.
Brooks, the executive director of On Belay since 2021, is not surprised at how emotionally unguarded participants become in this community. On Belay’s free, year-round programs provide an established culture of support and familiarity for young people during a difficult and frightening time. Unlike a summer camp that kids attend once a year, they can come back to On Belay every two or three weeks. “We know all our kids,” Brooks says. “I know their families, I know their stories, and they know my stories. It’s a real relationship-building experience.”
The deep bonds these kids form with Brooks and the other staff members bring comfort, but it is knowing that their peers understand what they are going through that dissolves their feelings of isolation. Unlike friends at school, the kids at these programs fully grasp the unsettling and often shocking world of cancer. Here, it’s okay to talk about how mom doesn’t have any hair right now, or how little sister just had her leg amputated. It isn’t weird—everyone gets it.
“On Belay” is a French term meaning to hold fast, take a break, or keep safe. In rock climbing, a rope attached to a person on the ground—the belayer—anchors the climber above. The belayer promises to keep safe the climber who is “on belay.” This so-named organization helps kids find the courage to attempt scary things, knowing someone is there to catch them if they fall. Participants' newfound courage is a priceless souvenir of their adventure. Now, they can face the next scary thing, maybe mom’s upcoming chemo treatment, and know they can handle it.
On Belay’s only physical facility is its office. It relies on partnerships with other organizations—like a ranch with therapeutic horseback riding—to make these rousing adventures possible. Using partner facilities allows On Belay to provide varied programs without needing every staff member to be expert in every activity. While rock climbing and rope course programs are On Belay’s mainstays, over the last few years horseback riding, mountain biking, and sea kayaking have taken top spots in popularity.
Once a child joins an On Belay program, they can stay with the organization for as long as they like. This proved invaluable to two brothers, 8-year-old Jack and eleven-year-old Steven, who first came to On Belay when their mother was diagnosed with cancer. The boys thrived in the supportive atmosphere and stopped coming when their mother went into remission. Three years later, they were thankful for the chance to return after their mom sadly passed away. “Kids can come and go as they need us,” Brooks says. “They have a community here that is with them for the long haul.”
Building confidence through a shared experience is just one of the goals of On Belay’s programs. Another big part of their mission is to show these kids it’s okay to have fun and escape their stress for a while. Children who have lost a loved one or have a chronically ill family member often feel guilty for enjoying life. “We let them know it’s okay to be happy even when this bad thing is going on,” says Brooks.
Almost 20 years after On Belay’s founder, Crescentia Healy-True, lost her battle with breast cancer, she would be proud of how her organization is flourishing. What began with one program in 2004 has evolved into 20 programs that take place in three states and serve kids from every corner of New England. On Belay is holding fast to kids facing tough challenges and saying loud and clear, “You are not alone—we are here for you.”
Kids can come and go as they need us. They have a community here that is with them for the long haul.
On Belay | on-belay.org | Instagram @onbelaynh
On Belay offers year-round adventure activities like ropes courses, rock climbing, surfing, and backpacking to provide kids impacted by a loved one's cancer with community support, fun, and personal growth opportunities. All programs are offered at no cost to families.