Barretstown Foundation USA
Supporting American children, young people and families affected by cancer and other serious illnesses
Our Vision
Barretstown Foundation USA was established in New York in 2018 to expand Paul Newman’s vision and bring the magic of Barretstown to the United States.
We believe that every child and young person affected by cancer and other serious illness deserves the chance to restore their life, and to embrace it with joy, optimism and hope.
Our Philosophy
As a leading provider of psychosocial care, Barretstown aims to address the full picture of a young person’s recovery – their emotional wellbeing, mental health, relationships and social world. Psychosocial care is evidence-based, and has been proven to have a profound impact on restoring the lives of seriously ill children and their families. Barretstown has been delivering psychosocial care for over thirty two years and it is at the heart of everything we do. We offer psychosocial care through a bespoke program of adventurous and creative activities, focused on creating friendship and having fun, so the children can fully restore their lives, while being supported onsite by 24/7 medical care.
Over the next five years, our goal is to raise $1.5 million in the United States. That’s $300,000 each year to support even more families based in the U.S. and offer them access to our camps in Ireland. All our residential camps are completely free of charge. This is a founding principle we have never compromised on and never will. Your donation helps us keep this promise.
Our Goal
Double the number of American children travelling to Barretstown
About 25 children from across the United States experience the magic of camp at Barretstown each year.
Barretstown is full of fun, laughter and people who truly understand the journey of recovery. It’s the place for children and young people to get together as part of their healing. It is more than just a vacation. It’s a place where personal restoration happens through magical experiences like canoeing on the lake, horse-riding, walking the woodland trails, taking on the high ropes course, creating art or a show.
We know that many more children could benefit from our life-changing programs. That’s why our goal is to double that number to 50 American children attending Barretstown every summer.
It costs $5,000 to send one child from the United States to experience the magic of Barretstown.
Expand our U.S. volunteer and internship programs
Barretstown is part of the SeriousFun Children’s Network, a global community of camps and outreach programmes in over 50 countries. As a Barretstown volunteer, you can join this network, while gaining hands-on experience at one of Europe’s most respected psychosocial care organisations.
Volunteers are the lifeblood of Barretstown. Each year, about 2,500 volunteers help bring our programs to life. Each year, we welcome student interns and volunteers from top universities across the United States, giving them hands-on experience supporting our campers. Our goal is to expand this program, offering short-term volunteer opportunities and longer-term internships for students at colleges and universities nationwide.
Paul Newman’s vision
Restoring young lives affected by cancer and other serious illness
Founded in 1994 by American actor and philanthropist Paul Newman, Barretstown is a leading provider of psychosocial care for American children and young people affected by cancer and other serious illness.
Children from all across The United States have travelled to Ireland to benefit from our residential therapeutic programmes based at the Barretstown Campus in Co. Kildare in Ireland.
“Hospital treats the illness, but Barretstown treats the child“
Paul Newman (1925-2008)
Who we are
Advisory Council
Barretstown Foundation’s work in the U.S. is guided by our Advisory Council, a group of committed business and community leaders who champion Barretstown’s mission through their advocacy, networks, and philanthropic support. Their hard work helps fund and grow Barretstown’s programs for children and families living with serious illness.
Dee Ahearn
Tim O'Dea
Tony Dunne
Phil Brady
Joel E. Cohen
Michael Dowling
Niall Ledgwidge
Dermot McDonogh
Sarah Murphy
Michael O'Reilly
John Napoli
Ruth O'Farrell
Barretstown strategic path
Our work is built on four strategic pillars – Program Development, Research, Training and Advocacy. Just as psychosocial care addresses the whole child rather than a single symptom, these four pillars are designed to work together as a whole.
Each pillar is distinct yet essential, all supporting each other to make Barretstown even stronger in our work for children and their families.
Program Development
At the heart of what we do, we deliver psychosocial care through therapeutic residential camps and outreach programmes for children, young people and their families, addressing what medical treatment alone cannot.
Psychosocial Clinical Research Hub
The first of its kind in Ireland, leads cutting-edge, evidence-based research into psychosocial interventions.
Training Centre of Excellence
Equipping healthcare professionals, communities, educators and carers with the tools to deliver outstanding psychosocial care beyond our gates.
Advocacy
We work alongside the clinicians and families to make psychosocial care understood, better funded and more available across America.