Pediatrician Joins CHP Berkshire Pediatrics

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Dr. Sandeep Kumar has joined the medical staff at CHP Berkshire Pediatrics in Pittsfield.

Dr. Kumar is board certified by the American Board of Pediatrics. He was most recently a senior associate consultant at the Mayo Clinic Health Systems in Minnesota and is a graduate of the Sindh Medical College's Dow University of Health Sciences in Karachi, Pakistan. He completed his residency in the U.S. at the Brooklyn Hospital Center in New York.

Before coming to the United States, Dr. Kumar completed his internship at Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center, Karachi, and worked there as pediatrics resident medical officer.

Dr. Kumar also worked as clinical research assistant in the Department of Pediatrics Endocrinology at Maimonides medical Center in Brooklyn, N.Y.; he also worked as a volunteer and clinical extern at Kings Brook Jewish Medical Center in Brooklyn and at Trinitas Regional Medical Center in New Jersey.

Dr. Kumar is accepting new patients at CHP Berkshire Pediatrics, 777 North St., Pittsfield. Appointments can be made by calling 413-499-8531.

New Camp Is Safe Place for Children Suffering Loss to Addiction

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
06:26AM / Saturday, December 27, 2025

Last year's Happy Campers courtesy of Max Tabakin.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A new camp is offering a safe place for children who have lost a parent or guardian to addiction. 

 

Director Gayle Saks founded the nonprofit "Camp Happy Place" last year. The first camp was held in June with 14 children.

 

Saks is a licensed drug and alcohol counselor who works at the Brien Center. One of her final projects when studying was how to involve youth, and a camp came to mind. Camp had been her "happy place" growing up, and it became her dream to open her own.

 

"I keep a bucket list in my wallet, and it's right on here on this list, and I cross off things that I've accomplished," she said. "But it is the one thing on here that I knew I had to do."

 

The overnight co-ed camp is held at a summer camp in Winsted, Conn., where Saks spent her summers as a child. It is four nights and five days and completely free. Transportation is included as are many of the items needed for camping. The camp takes up to 30 children.

 

"I really don't think there's any place that exists specifically for this population. I think it's important to know, we've said this, but that it is not a therapeutic camp," Saks said.

 

She said the focus is on fun for the children, though they are able to talk to any of the volunteer and trained staff. The staff all have experience in social work, addiction and counseling, and working with children.