SeriousFun Children’s Network, a global network of free camps and programs for children living with life-altering medical conditions founded by Hollywood legend and visionary philanthropist, Paul Newman, is celebrating what would have been his 100th birthday by declaring 2025 The Year of SeriousFun.
In 1988, Paul Newman’s dream was to create a place where children with serious medical conditions could reclaim their childhoods—a place where kids often isolated by their medical challenges could, as he liked to say, “kick back and raise a little hell.” Paul instinctively understood the importance of and need for what science now calls Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs): safe, caring, nurturing experiences. PCEs have been shown to significantly mitigate the negative impact of traumatic or adverse childhood events (ACEs). Children with life-altering diagnoses who come to SeriousFun camps leave more able to cope with medical trauma, more resilient, and, most importantly, more hopeful about the future.
According to Blake Maher, CEO of SeriousFun Children’s Network, “The singular goal of The Year of SeriousFun is to grow Paul’s vision to serve as many seriously ill children as possible around the world. To reach more children and to continue providing services at zero cost to these kids and families, we depend on the support of our volunteers—doctors, nurses, therapists, retirees, and college students, not to mention the donors whose financial contributions help make these life-changing experiences possible.”
With an entire year of planned events to raise awareness, SeriousFun is on a mission to recruit 10,000 new global volunteers. This year’s tentpole events include a star-studded gala at Lincoln Center where campers will perform with A-list celebrities on stage, an inclusive global music and dance celebration for campers, and the launch of a robust mental health initiative in the fall.
“My father believed in the importance of giving back,” said Clea Newman, Paul’s daughter and SeriousFun Ambassador. “Dad always said we are committed to giving these children one hundred percent… and, in return, the joy of these kids gives back one thousand percent to everyone who works with and supports them.”
