Erzsébet Camp Offers Sick and Disadvantaged Children a Summer of Healing Joy
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Hungary hosts Europe’s most complex and far-reaching state-supported children’s camp program, said Minister for Culture and Innovation Balázs Hankó during a visit to the therapeutic Szent Erzsébet Camp (Saint Elizabeth Camp) in Zalaszabar (western Hungary).
Backed by an annual HUF 10 billion (cc. EUR 25 million) government subsidy, the Erzsébet-tábor initiative will welcome over 110,000 children this year — including those from large families, single-parent households, underprivileged backgrounds, and those living with chronic illnesses.
The Zalaszabar camp specializes in therapeutic care, currently hosting children with type 1 diabetes. Located near Lake Kis-Balaton, the camp provides a unique setting where education, recreation, and medical care go hand in hand.
Pediatricians and medical students from Semmelweis University supervise the campers, ensuring both safety and high-quality health monitoring, while conductive education teachers also assist children as personal companions, helping them relax and enjoy the experience.
Participants enjoying the Erzsébet camp in Zánka Photo: MTI/Katona Tibor
Children only pay a symbolic fee of 1.000 forints (about EUR 2.50), which includes full board, personalized care, and access to a wide range of activities — all designed to suit their medical needs. The initiative reflects Hungary’s family-oriented values, Minister Hankó emphasized:
This is something that defines us as Hungarians — caring for our children, supporting our families.”
The camp also embodies the five-pillar concept of the Erzsébet (Elizabeth) program: science, culture, sport, Christianity, and Hungarian heritage. Beyond fun and healing, children gain practical education on managing their conditions, boosting independence and confidence.
These children learn not to fear their illness, but to take control of it,” added Dr. Péter Tóth-Heyn, vice director of Semmelweis University’s Pediatrics Clinic.
Technological access is also key: while just a few years ago only one-third of diabetic children used insulin pumps, today around 75% are using advanced automated insulin delivery systems — available free of charge in Hungary.
According to Tibor Hornyák, chairman of the Erzsébet a Kárpát-medencei Gyermekekért Foundation (Elizabeth for Children in the Carpathian Basin), the Zalaszabar site officially became part of the foundation in 2023, though therapeutic camps had been running there since 2017. The program has since expanded to five locations — Zalaszabar, Zánka, Fonyódliget, and two sites in Transylvania — with some operating year-round.
This is not just about healing — it is about giving these children back their summer,”
said Hornyák.
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Government Offers Europe’s Largest State-run Summer Camps for Families in Need
The Elizabeth Program was set up in 2012 to implement programs related to social services.Continue reading
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