Breast Cancer Recovery retreats and healing programs for breast cancer survivors

“The best experience of my life” – reviews of last week’s retreat

claire — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 20:38:54 +0000

Breast Cancer Recovery staff and volunteers were privileged last week to host our bi-annual Infinite Boundaries retreat for women with metastatic (Stage 4) breast cancer. Judi Janowski, BCR Retreat Director, shared that she was once again blown away by the experience. Seven women attended and an eighth participant was forced to cancel unexpectedly. The women struggle with pain and other effects of their treatments, but the retreat provides an opportunity for them to form a community with other women who are traveling the same journey.

Here are comments from the women who attended:
“At the age of 65, having lived a very full, successful, rewarding life, this 4 day retreat tops it all. Best experience of my life. Most rewarding, most needed and most nurturing. I wish all breast cancer patients could have this experience.”

“This was a beautiful, loving experience that I will always treasure. This retreat has truly changed my life by giving me new techniques for coping, new ideas, and new ’sisters.’ All metastatic breast cancer patients should attend this amazing retreat. There was a lot going on here and all of it perfect.”

We are grateful to Sundara Inn and Spa for allowing us the use of their facility. A few reviews of the wonderful setting:

“I have attended many retreats and have lead some myself, but never a retreat for metastatic breast cancer patients. This was well worth traveling 650 miles for! The program could stand alone but having it at Sundara added so much!”

“Perfect. The staff (BCR and Sundara) was incredible. The rooms were spectacular and uplifting.”

“Words aren’t enough! Sundara is opulent, inviting and the water amazing.”

“This was the best experience I have had. I was able to become comfortable in my own skin. Thank you so much.”

Breast Cancer Recovery thanks the women who attended and our many generous donors who allow us to continue to offer affordable and accessible programs for all breast cancer survivors.

Women describe how they made surgery decision

claire — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 20:58:59 +0000

A New York Times blog has a post about women with breast cancer in one breast opting for bilateral mastectomy. While a relatively small percentage of women with breast cancer opt for this (6 percent according to the reporter), the number has increased in recent years. The blog is fairly standard info, but I found the comments from different readers about how they made their individual decisions especially interesting.

From the comments:
*“When I was diagnosed with DCIS, I decided pretty quickly that I wanted to deal with one breast at a time, especially after it looked like a mastectomy was the best way to go. It was difficult enough making peace with the “m” word for one breast–no way would I have considered a prophylactic bilateral mastectomy.”
*“I knew several women who had both breasts removed after experiencing cancer in one. All of them said that they simply couldn’t face the ordeal of yearly mammograms and callbacks and ultrasounds and biopsies, etc. None of them really focused on the odds of getting cancer in the second breast; it was purely avoiding the psychological issues. I think that’s something that many MDs don’t think about.”
*“I am 32. I am a surgeon, and I have early stage breast cancer … I have opted for the double mastectomy not because I think it will prolong my life. I know the facts. I am doing it because I want to have this all behind me, because I want to live without the anxiety of having another abnormality on MRI or mammogram, because I want to “look” normal, because I am young.”

The article is here: “After Cancer, Removing a Healthy Breast”
(Scroll down to read the comments)

Luna Fest! Short films by and about women

claire — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 17:15:29 +0000

We are thrilled to be the recipients of proceeds from this year’s Luna Fest, a mini film festival sponsored by the Madison Chapter of Luna Chix.
Luna Fest
March 18, 2010 at US Bank Plaza in Madison.
Enjoy a reception and silent auction at 6 p.m. The film viewing begins at 7 p.m.
Tickets $20
Luna Fest is a national film festival of short films by, for and about women. All proceeds are donated to Breast Cancer Recovery. Please contact us to buy tickets in advance or buy tickets at the event. We hope to see you there!

More information at the Luna Chix website: teamlunachix.com

Thanks to all our Valentines

claire — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 18:13:37 +0000

We are so grateful to the many, many people that attended the Beer & Chocolate Tasting at Dexter’s on Valentine’s Day! The event was the best yet – with more people, great beer and chocolate and a record amount of proceeds for Breast Cancer Recovery!

Thank you to Dexter’s, Steave Weakley and Fred Swenson for organizing the event. We also want to extend a special thank you to Gail Ambrosia for lending her talents as a celebrity judge.

Read more about the event at WKOW’s coverage here: Pub serves local beers to benefit breast cancer recovery

Beer and chocolate tasting!

claire — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 22:42:01 +0000

Please don’t forget this Sunday’s Beer and Chocolate Tasting!
It’s a great Valentine’s Day date for an even greater cause.

Valentine’s Day Beer and Chocolate Tasting
Sunday, 2/14
1-4 p.m.
Dexter’s Pub
301 North Street, Madison, WI

Enjoy all the beer and chocolate you like! $20 gets you a pint glass and unlimited tastings from ten local breweries including Lake Louie, Capital Brewery, Great Dane, Ale Asylum and more. Bring a chocolate dish to share and admission is only $15. Best chocolate dish will be judged by a panel of celebrity judges.
All proceeds from the event benefit Breast Cancer Recovery. We hope to see you there!

Free teleconference about breast cancer research

claire — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 21:27:19 +0000

CancerCare is hosting a teleconference about breast cancer research on February 11. Listen over the phone or online from 1:30 – 2:30 ET.
Here’s a link with details:

Advances in the Treatment of Breast Cancer, Feb. 11

Beer and chocolate tasting!

claire — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 16:54:36 +0000

It’s almost time for one of our favorite events of the year, the Beer and Chocolate Tasting at Dexter’s Pub. Thank you to Dexter’s, Steve Weakley and Fred Swenson for continuing to support Breast Cancer Recovery by hosting this fun event.
Mark your calendars:
February 14, 2010
Dexter’s Pub, 301 North St. Madison, WI 53704

Pay a donation to Breast Cancer Recovery at the door and receive a souvenir pint glass. Enjoy unlimted samplings of beer from more than 15 microbreweries. Bring a chocolate dessert to enter in the contest, or just enjoy the desserts! This is a really fun day and we think it makes a perfect Valentine’s date too.
Haven’t been to Dexter’s? It’s a fun neighborhood pub and grill at the corner of North Street and East Johnson Street on Madison’s east side. Visit their website for more information: dexterspubmadison.com. And if you stop in, be sure to try a burger – their food is great! Tell them Breast Cancer Recovery sent you.

The difference between recuperation and recovery

claire — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 20:46:34 +0000

The New York Times has a great blog by Dana Jennings, a prostate cancer survivor at nytimes.com/well.
Jennings writes about his experience recovering from cancer surgery and treatments, an experience that did not begin to end until he took time out of daily life to rest and recover. I agree that our American culture’s Puritan roots can make it feel very difficult for us to justify time for healing, or to simply recognize when we need healing. Even after an illness such as cancer, we are told to “get back into the swing of things” or “fake it until we make it,” as though the act of pretending to be okay for daily life while somehow make us okay. But true healing cannot be rushed or willed into being.
Jennings writes: “I reached a point last summer and fall when I realized that even though I was back at work, once again juking and stutter-stepping my way through the streets of Manhattan, I hadn’t recovered at all … Physically, I was game, but I soon realized I was going through the motions as I became more and more tired. I felt like a spinning quarter about to nod to gravity and wobble to the tabletop. Mentally, I couldn’t focus: I became shawled in the monochromes of depression. And spiritually, I wasn’t angry — I did want to know what this cancer could teach me — but just right then I couldn’t make sense of my cancer-blasted interior landscape.
I hated to admit it, but I had to excuse myself from the day-in and the day-out if I wanted to fully heal, if I wanted to recover.”

Read the entire blog post here: Healing Physicially, Yet Still Not Whole

Please share with us your stories about recovery from cancer in the comments.

Receive a scholarship to attend cancer survivor advocacy training

claire — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 19:00:57 +0000

I’m passing along news from the Wisconsin Breast Cancer Coalition. They are offering scholarships to WI breast cancer survivors interested in attending a national advocacy training course in May.

From the WBCC website, standupandspeakout.org:

“Breast Cancer Advocates who are Wisconsin residents and are interested in attending the National Breast Cancer Coalition Fund’s Annual Advocacy Training Conference may now contact us for an application to receive a Sherry Kohlenberg Scholarship. Candidates should have a strong interest in learing more about the science and advocacy of breast cancer and be willing to serve on a WBCC committee for a one year minimum to use the knowledge you gain at the conference and lobby day. The conference is held in Washington DC from May 22-25, 2010. Please call us at 414-963-2103 or email wbcc@standupandspeakout.org for more information.”

Inflammatory Breast Cancer Blog

claire — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 21:11:52 +0000

The blog “Enigmas” has some first-hand stories and information about Inflammatory Breast Cancer: Unraveling the Pink Ribbon

Please keep us posted if you write a breast cancer blog or read any good ones.