CASTING FOR RECOVERY INC
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When I talk about the experience provided to breast cancer Survivors through Casting for Recovery (Indiana retreat), I barely have the words to explain what it has meant to me as well as to others I know. I was diagnosed with Stage 4 Inflammatory breast cancer in March of 2005. I found a brochure about this unique experience at the resource area of the hospital where I was treated. I had been fishing once before in my life, when I was a little girl, using a bamboo pole while attending a family church camp. Feeling the need to experience new things and step out of my comfort zone after diagnosis, I decided to apply for the fall retreat that year, never even knowing if I would live that long with the aggressive disease I was battling. When I found that I was an alternate that year, I sort of shrugged my shoulders and said, “Oh well, maybe I wasn’t meant to go and since I don’t think I want to touch fish anyway, it’s no big deal!” The next year in 2006, I received an application. Since I was through with my initial treatment, I decided it couldn’t hurt to have a healing time with other Survivors, experiencing nature, but I still wasn’t sure I was going to touch the fish! To my surprise, my name was chosen out of a very competitive lottery and I was given the chance to attend. I had just been told I had to continue my breast cancer treatment, and felt that maybe it was meant to be. As re treat time approached, I questioned myself as to whether I should even attend. Maybe I would be too tired, maybe I’d have to touch fish! But, I put on my big girl panties and decided to go… The experience of being on a Casting For Recovery retreat is almost indescribable. Some descriptions I have used when I try to find the words are healing, caring, bonding, lasting friendships, and fun. It was such an important weekend to me in my “after breast cancer diagnosis life” that I wish every woman who has experienced breast cancer could attend. The motto of CFR is “to fish is to Hope” and I do truly believe that. The women from my retreat who had only one thing in common, breast cancer, have continued to be friends all these years later. We have held each others hands, breathed sighs of relief at positive test results and cried with some as their battle continued. Sadly, we’ve lost two of our retreat members to this disease. They both expressed their feelings of having been blessed to have been a CFR participant right up until they slipped away -one even asking for a pink fishing pole from her husband for her last Christmas celebration. At their memorials, their friends and families also expressed their emotions about how important the experience was in their loved one’s lives. With no reservation, I recommend applying for a CFR retreat to every Survivor I meet. In the years after I attended, I have had many members of organizations I participate in who have also felt blessed to have a chance to attend. As both a national and local employee of the Young Survival Coalition, I highly recommend that breast cancer Survivors apply to attend a CFR retreat. I truly believe in the CFR motto that “To Fish is To Hope” and wish that we could give that to more women. I also continue the healing and meditative activity of fly -fishing through our reunions and get-togethers, and someday, maybe I’ll even touch a fish! Thank you to our donors for your support of such a unique and fulfilling experience. May we keep fishing and keep hoping for a cure! Krysti Hughett ResourceLink Specialist Young Survival Coalition
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The Great!
I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...
the positive changes in the lives of breast cancer survivors that I have met on retreats & alumni on the reunions is astounding. The friendships and support that come from this program make so much of a difference in the lives of breast cancer survivors
Ways to make it better...
If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...
try and find more funding so every woman with breast cancer could attend a retreat!
More feedback...
What I've enjoyed the most about my experience with this nonprofit is...
having been a participant as well as a team member and benfiting from seeing both sides as well as stepping out of my comfort zone and learning how wonderful it is to fly-fish!
The kinds of staff and volunteers that I met were...
so caring and compassionate and giving that it is almost indescribable!
If this organization had 10 million bucks, it could...
Make a differenc in the lives of all woman with breast cancer to allow them the experience of particopating in a CFR retreat and learning to fly-fish! We would not have to ever turn away a woman that wanted to attend!
Ways to make it better...
I caught more fish! (and we do realease them...)
In my opinion, the biggest challenges facing this organization are...
That so many women are diagnosed with breast cancer and apply for a CFR retreat and we have to turn them away because the applications way outnumber the spaces available on retreats!
One thing I'd also say is that...
To Fish is to HOPE and without Hope we are nothing...
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2010
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