Our Medical Staff

Camp Simcha

Peter Steinherz, MD, Medical Director

Dr. Steinherz, the director of Leukemia and Lymphoma Studies at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, was among the founders of Camp Simcha. During his 30-year tenure at MSKCC, Dr. Steinherz and his colleagues have developed new treatment protocols that have improved the survival rates of patients with ALL from 50 percent to 80 – 90 percent. He is a member of the Leukemia Strategy Group of the Children’s Cancer Group for more than 20 years. During that time, he chaired or co-chaired 11 large national/international studies for the Group and was a committee member of many other investigations. He is known for his warmth, accessibility and love of rafting with campers

Laurel Steinherz, MD

Laurel Steinherz is the pediatric cardiologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and an expert in the cardiac toxicity of cancer and cancer treatment. For the past three decades, she has interacted with colleagues in pediatric oncology to define the cardiac toxicity of new drugs and protocols at MSKCC, the Children’s Cancer Group/Children’s Oncology Group and other international cooperative study groups. She was a co-founder of Camp Simcha with her husband, Peter, and is thrilled to spend time with campers in this wonderful setting.

Leonard Wexler, MD, Associate Medical Director, Boys

Dr. Wexler is a pediatric oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center who specializes in the treatment of bone and soft tumor sarcomas. He is currently co-chair of an international study to evaluate the effectiveness of chemotherapy for the treatment of children with osteosarcoma, and co-investigator of a clinical trial at Memorial Sloan-Kettering that evaluates a novel combination of chemotherapy agents and radiotherapy techniques for the treatment of children with rhabdomyosarcoma.

“Dr. Lenny” has been at Camp Simcha for many years. His “office” is the entire camp, and his prescription for recovery includes plenty of laughter and fun.

Carolyn Fein Levy, MD, Associate Medical Director, Girls

Dr. Fein Levy is a pediatric oncologist at Schneider Children’s Hospital, part of the North Shore-LIJ health system, and an assistant professor of pediatrics at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. She cares for infants, children and young adults with cancer and serious blood disorders.

Her main clinical focus is the treatment of rare pediatric tumors, particularly germ cell tumors, sarcomas of the soft tissues and bone as well as childhood leukemia.  She is an active member of the Children’s Oncology Group, an organization dedicated to clinical research in the field of pediatric cancer. Currently, Dr. Fein Levy is involved in several research trials studying the biology of solid tumors and the implementation of new drugs and treatment plans that improve the long-term survival of cancer patients.   Dr. Fein Levy has recently been charged with the responsibility for developing the Adolescent and Young Adult Oncology (AYA) Program for the health system.

The children of Camp Simcha have been fortunate to have Dr. Carolyn on their side since 1999. The consummate physician and friend, she exudes warmth and hope throughout camp.

Camp Simcha Special

Robert Van Amerongen, MD

ROBERT VAN AMERONGEN, MD, is the Medical Director of Camp Simcha Special. Dr. Van Amerongen, or just Dr. van, as he is known by the campers and staff, has been a member of the medical staff of Camp Simcha Special since its inception in 2001 and has been the Medical Director for the past 17 years.

During rhe rest of the year, Dr. van Amerongen is the CEO and Medical Director of Urgent-MD Family Urgent Care Centers, located in the Five Towns of Long Island,  which he founded in 2012.

Dr. Van Amerongen established the first Pediatric Emergency Service at New York Methodist Hospital in Brooklyn, New York in 1995 and served as its Chief for almost 20 years, until 2014. As one of the original faculty members of the Department Of Emergency Medicine, Dr. van Amerongen was appointed Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine in Clinical Pediatrics at the Weill Medical College of Cornell University.

A graduate of Yeshiva University and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Dr. van completed a residency in Pediatrics at North Shore University Hospital, and a fellowship in Pediatric Emergency Medicine at Bellevue Hospital/NYU Medical Center, New York. Dr. Van Amerongen is board certified in pediatric emergency medicine, and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American College of Emergency Physicians, and the American Academy of Emergency Medicine. He has published research  articles in medical journals, and has lectured on these topics at national medical meetings.

Dr. Van’s favorite activities at Camp Simcha Special are working with the phenomenal medical staff, singing “Country Road” with the campers, and, when they let him out of the infirmary, enjoying a swim!

Michael Rosen, MD

Dr. Michael Rosen is the Associate Medical Director for Camp Simcha Special. He is a Pediatric Emergency Medicine specialist with more than 30 years of experience. Over the years, Dr. Rosen has been in leadership positions in Pediatric Emergency Rooms, including co-director of the PED ER at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Paterson, Associate Director at Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn, and Director at the Beth Israel Children’s Hospital of NJ in Newark. His career has been dedicated to teaching of doctors-in-training, noting that he was the Fellowship Director for Pediatric Emergency Medicine at Maimonides and Children Hospital of NJ for more than 15 years and still gives a weekly board preparation course.

Dr. Rosen has been a physician at Camp Simcha Special since its very inception, now more than 20 years. He and his medical team oversee the minute to minute work of meticulously caring for the complex needs of the campers. Staffing, equipment, readiness training, and planning are a year round activity with which Dr. Rosen is diligently involved.

Medical Facilities

• Brand new Health Center staffed by specialized physicians, nurses, EMTs, pharmacist and physical therapist.
• Acute transport ambulanc is on-site at all times, and accompanies campers on all off-site activities.
• Medevac helicopter, on call 24/7, can reach camp within 5 minutes.
• Chemotherapy can be administered at camp.