Our camp associaton's founder, the legendary actor and philanthropist Paul Newman, would be 100 years old.

In 1988, Paul Newman envisioned a place where children living with illness wouldn’t be seen as sick kids. He dreamed of a safe camp where these children and teenagers could explore, play, and misbehave just like their healthy peers. This vision led to the creation of the SeriousFun Children’s Network, a global alliance of camps, of which Bátor Tábor is a proud member. Over the past 36 years, SeriousFun camps and outreach programs have provided more than 2 million healing experiences to children and their families worldwide.

Paul Newman instinctively understood what children facing illness truly need: Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs)—joyful, meaningful moments of childhood. Research confirms that these experiences, where children feel safe, cared for, and truly seen, have a measurable positive impact on their healing, well-being, and overall quality of life. They also help counteract the negative emotions (fear, anxiety) caused by illness.

As a Central European center for therapeutic recreation, Bátor Tábor is proud to be part of this global movement of kindness and to carry forward Paul Newman’s legacy every single day.