United Order of True Sisters
Organized at Temple Emanu-El in New York City, the United Order of True Sisters (U.O.T.S.) held its first meeting on April 25, 1846. Conceived as a female counterpart to the male Jewish B'nai B'rith organization (founded in 1843), but functioning separately, U.O.T.S. claims to be the first independent national women's organization in the United States. The main activities of the Order was raising money for cancer research and providing support to cancer patients.
Over its 47-year affiliation with NCH, U.O.T.S. – Miami #43 provided funding to support direct patient care, equipment and facilities for the hospital’s cancer program. U.O.T.S. also established a research and fellowship fund, and assisted with the funding for the hospital’s Bone Marrow Transplant Center. Over the years U.O.T.S. – Miami #43 raised millions of dollars to support the work of the hospital’s pediatric cancer care program.
Thanks to the vision and generosity of Eve Ruthfield (President of U.O.T.S. - Miami #43), and her fellow U.O.T.S. sisters, an endowment was created at NCH Foundation in 1991 to establish Camp U.O.T.S. While U.O.T.S. Miami #43 has been dissolved, the U.O.T.S. endowment will ensure that Camp will continue to thrive.
Eve Ruthfield
Eve served as President of the local chapter of the United Order of True Sisters (U.O.T.S. - Miami #43) for more than 20 years. She was a dedicated volunteer at the NCH Hematology and Oncology Special Clinic and an ardent fundraiser. Her devotion to the children of NCH for nearly 50 years was unparalleled. However, Eve’s most impacting legacy is the founding of Camp U.O.T.S. in 1991, an endeavor she began at the age of 73. To this day, her vision that children diagnosed with cancer have an opportunity to simply celebrate life remains a commitment of the countless volunteers, medical staff, and even cancer survivors who now serve as camp counselors. Today, while U.O.T.S. - Miami #43 has been dissolved, Fern Ruthfield Thomas, and her husband Michael Thomas, continue their grandmother’s legacy and dedication to the camp.
“My grandmother was devoted to the children of Nicklaus Children’s Hospital. Her dream was to provide pediatric cancer patients with the opportunity to participate in a free and medically-sound summer camp that would foster joy, friendship, and memories to last a lifetime. She would be elated to see that so many of those children, for whom she started the camp, are now keeping her legacy alive as counselors.”
— Fern Ruthfield Thomas
Giselle Morales
Giselle was one of the original Founders of Camp U.O.T.S., as well as an Activities Coordinator and Senior Counselor for many years. Having experienced firsthand the hardship that cancer can inflict upon a family, Giselle wanted to create the camp so that children like her son T.J. - who was diagnosed with Leukemia at age 3 - could have an opportunity to simply celebrate life. She and her husband Tony were instrumental in launching the camp—raising funds and creating connections with the South Florida community. She was a devoted wife, loving mother, loyal friend, passionate educator, gifted artist, and a respected community leader. Her memory lives on through the brave boys and girls that participate in Camp U.O.T.S. every summer.