Central Plains Cancer Services is preparing to host the second annual “Beyond Cancer: Where Renewal Begins” wellness retreat, a three-day program designed for women who have experienced cancer. The retreat will take place Oct. 3–5 at Southport, a location praised by organizers for its beauty and tranquillity.
The retreat is intended for survivors and thrivers - women who have completed active treatment - and focuses on holistic wellness. Programming includes yoga, nutrition workshops, art therapy, and emotional health support, among other services. Only 30 participants will be accepted to maintain an intimate and personalized experience.
Sharilyn Knox, executive director of Central Plains Cancer Services, says the event is one of the most meaningful projects she’s worked on.
“We're really excited because we are holding our second Wellness Retreat. It's called Beyond Cancer: Where Renewal Begins, and it is a three-day retreat from October 3rd to 5th.”
Knox notes the retreat offers participants a chance to reconnect with themselves and heal beyond the medical side of recovery.
“So much when somebody has a cancer diagnosis is the process of getting well,” she says. “But oftentimes after you've been through cancer, you try to sort of get back to who you were before or a different version of you possibly, and so being able to offer support to help women to do that is something that we're really proud of.”
Unique support and local collaboration
The retreat’s success is supported by local partnerships and community sponsors, allowing organizers to keep participant costs low. Southport has become a reliable and ideal host for the retreat, while other local groups provide services and experiences for attendees.
Knox adds that the initiative is rare in Canada and fills a gap in post-treatment support for women.
“We've only found one other retreat like this out on the East Coast,” she says. “So we know that we're offering something pretty special here.”
The retreat will also feature a keynote dinner with a special guest speaker, and the entire program is designed to help participants build confidence, community, and clarity as they move forward in life.
Sponsors invited to support a spot
Businesses and individuals are encouraged to visit www.CPCSWellnessRetreat.com, where they can register, learn more about the retreat, and view testimonials from last year’s event.
“There’s an opportunity you can specifically sponsor a spot for somebody, and it covers sort of all that one person is doing at the retreat,” Knox notes. “We're just trying to make it really special.”
Feedback from the inaugural retreat has been overwhelmingly positive, with testimonials available online. Knox says organizers have built on last year’s success, applying lessons learned to make the second edition even better.
“It was amazing. You'll see on the website that there's lots of great testimonials from it,” she adds. “It was something that was planned for quite a long time, and we worked hard on it. We're pleased with how it went.”
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