We're excited to launch a permanent collection of stories for our community to share.
For 25 years, Kesem has supported children facing a parent’s cancer through free, year-round programs and a lifelong community, led by dedicated college student volunteers. To mark the 25th anniversary, we’re catching up with former campers and student leaders to reflect on how their Kesem experiences continue to shape their lives.
Christina Bognet first got involved with Kesem as a freshman at MIT, when she helped launch the school’s chapter. She stayed involved through her graduation in 2010, later returning as a Camp Advisor at UVA and member of the San Francisco Event Board.
“Although we felt like grown-ups, we really were just kids ourselves,” she says, “and still managed to build an incredible experience for our campers.” What stays with her is not the scale of the work but the shared responsibility. “I always felt so lucky to be part of such a hard-working group and really in awe of everyone’s hearts and minds focused on how to uniquely be there for our campers and their families.”
Those early lessons carried forward. After college, Christina founded a consumer healthcare company and served as CEO for nearly a decade until the company was acquired in 2021. “Before I started my company, I never took a single class related to business,” she says. “Actually, I still haven’t.” Instead, she leaned on skills first built at Kesem. “So much of what I learned about managing a team, and even just helping others, came from my experiences as a coordinator and counselor at Kesem.”
Some of the biggest lessons Christina carries came from the smallest moments. One that still stays with her happened during a Cabin Chat with the 6-7 year old campers. When asked if anyone had a question, a child raised their hand and said, “I don’t have a question, but I have a… telling, if that’s ok,” before sharing their experience with their parent’s cancer.
“So many things about that moment struck me,” Christina says. “The camper’s bravery and vulnerability, the grace of everyone listening, and the importance of just being heard.” Years later, she still leans on curiosity and empathy built from that moment. “I always think about how people might have ‘tellings’ they want to share too.”
Although it’s been years since Christina has been at camp, Kesem remains part of her life. There are treasured memories, close friendships, but Kesem’s impact is even bigger than that. “Being a Kesem counselor is truly a part of who I am,” she says. “It’s something that will stay in my heart forever. I think about my campers often, and I hope they know how much I cherish them and our time together.”
Christina is now building a new company to help people find and build healthy romantic relationships. “My two biggest values in life are health and love,” she says. “I worked on health in my first company and now I’m focused on love.” And as of Valentine’s Day 2026, true to her MIT roots, she’s setting up single girlfriends with men in STEM. Reach out to Christina to learn more.
We're excited to launch a permanent collection of stories for our community to share.
