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Hilary (Gerson) Axtmayer ’00 was first introduced to The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp as a student at Pomfret. The camp, in nearby Ashford, was founded by legendary actor and visionary philanthropist Paul Newman in 1988, so that children with serious illnesses could just be kids and “raise a little hell.”

Inspired by their mission, Hilary returned after her freshman year of college as a counselor — an experience that shaped the course of her life. Over the past twenty-five years, Hilary has grown from counselor to executive camp director and now serves as the organization’s chief program officer, helping thousands of children and families connect, heal, and find joy through year-round programs and summer camp experiences.

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You first volunteered at The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp as a student at Pomfret. Tell us about your experience.
Growing up, I was a camp kid. Louisa and Jeremiah Jones organized a volunteer opportunity at the camp, and I went with a bunch of my friends. I have such vivid memories of driving into camp for the first time. You could feel the magic — even without any of the campers or staff being there

We cleaned up the camp after winter and got it ready for the campers’ arrival. While we worked, we learned about the camp, and it was a really powerful experience. I was inspired by the idea that kids who were sick, who otherwise would not have the same opportunity I had, could go to camp. I thought, “I want to come back here as a counselor.”

After your freshman year of college, you worked at the camp. How did that summer changed your life?
The experience blew me away. It didn’t take me long to see the power of the programming at Hole in the Wall for the families we serve. It sparked a deep interest in psychosocial support programs for children with serious illnesses and helped me realize this was the work I wanted to dedicate my life to.

What population were you interested in working with?
At the time, I was very interested in HIV and AIDS — that was a population we served at camp. My experience eventually brought me to Africa. I worked and studied in Sub-Saharan Africa and then later worked in East Africa doing psychosocial support consulting and programming for children living with HIV and AIDS. I saw kids who didn’t have access to medications and were stigmatized. It inspired me to pursue a master’s in public health with a focus on global health, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and other infectious diseases.

What did you learn through your work in Africa?
The resilience of the kids I got to work with in Africa reinforced my belief in the power of play and human connection. I helped train the local staff, who had limited resources, to help kids not just survive but to thrive. By just playing soccer in an open field, the children appreciated that someone took the time to play with them, talk with them, and spend time with them. That is what matters, and we know those experiences ultimately help children build resilience and a sense of hope.

Did you ever consider a career in medicine?
I’ve always been more drawn to the psychosocial side of care. My role was never really about simply playing with kids — it was about helping children living with serious illnesses have the chance just to be kids. Camp allows them to connect with others going through similar experiences and feel less isolated. While I was in school, I conducted qualitative research on hope, friendship, and reducing isolation, and that work reinforced my passion for this side of care rather than the medical side.

What does your role as a chief program officer entail?
I oversee all of our programs at the Hole in the Wall, and that is fairly robust now. While we started as a camp in Ashford, Connecticut, in 1988, we have expanded our reach and offerings. Our family outreach program is a mobile unit that goes directly to their homes and provides a little dose of camp for kids who may not be able to come to camp. More than thirty hospital outreach specialists work on-site in forty hospitals from Boston to Washington, D.C., providing camp-like activities and distractions while working alongside medical support teams. We also host big regional events that bring the whole hospital together, like Camp Week at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, when the whole hospital pauses so the kids can participate in camp.

What is your favorite part of the job?
It’s been a privilege to help this organization grow, learn, strategize, and set the path for its growth over the next five, ten, and twenty years. I get to work with the magic makers, who work directly with our kids and our families, and they are inspiring, creative, and constantly finding new ways to deepen the support we provide families. The organization is always evolving, which means there is always another challenge to solve or another opportunity to serve families more fully. And so there’s never a boring day with what I do, and I love it.

What big project are you working on now?
This month, we opened a second camp location on the eastern shore of Maryland. The first phase of this project serves families, and phase two will serve campers through independent overnight programming. 

What is your favorite part of a week at camp?
I had the opportunity to tell the camp’s story on the first night. All of the kids were there, and they were so excited. I shared the camp’s history and asked them what they knew about Paul Newman. They would always give adorable answers, such as “salad dressing” or “popcorn guy.” I would also tell them they were going to make a new friend, try something new, and learn something that they could bring back home to make the world a more beautiful place. At the end of the week, I would ask whether they remembered those three things and whether they had achieved them. The kids would excitedly tell me about the friendships they formed or the things they tried for the first time. I especially loved hearing their ideas for making the world a better place. It reminded me how much impact one week of camp can have.

Why is it important to support the entire family, not just the patient?
There is incredible power in families coming together and connecting with others who understand what they are experiencing. They meet other folks who are walking that same path. Parents can meet other parents who are going through the same thing. They can share a cup of coffee. That sense of connection can be incredibly powerful.

Is there something you’ve learned from the campers and families that stays with you over the years in your work?
They taught me about resilience, perseverance, and perspective. I was diagnosed with breast cancer three years ago, and it was a very challenging time in my life and my family’s life. I work with kids with cancer, and then I was experiencing my own diagnosis and figuring out how my family and I would navigate that. The strength of the families I work with helped guide me through my own experience. They reminded me that people are resilient and that hope can coexist with hardship.

Is there a memory from camp that inspires your work?
During a family camp, a girl who was probably nine or ten and undergoing cancer treatment wanted to climb our thirty-foot tower without assistance. We wanted to do everything we could to make that possible for her. Alongside her parents, I watched her climb higher and higher. Everyone was silent as she climbed, and when she reached the top, tears were streaming down everyone’s faces. She is now a nurse who volunteers at our camp. That powerful moment stays with me.

 

Hilary Axtmayer ’00 is the 2026 Commencement Speaker.

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