Central Plains Cancer Services (CPCS) has been preparing for fall programming with some adjustments to a program that is returning.
Last fall, CPCS began hosting a wellness retreat at Southport for survivors and thrivers of a cancer diagnosis. Sharilyn Knox, Executive Director of CPCS, notes that this year's edition is starting to fill up already.
"We're filling up. We're well over half full. So, we're encouraging women to register; if they're interested, check out the website. But we're really pretty thrilled about it."
The event, focused on recovery for those who have survived a cancer diagnosis, features yoga, bowling, emotional care discussions, and a keynote speaker, who Knox says has already reached out about adding some things herself.
"We're always looking at expanding our services to what fits the need. We knew that there was a need for this, and we looked and couldn't find anything anywhere else in our country for this. So, we know that when people go through cancer, it changes people, and we want to find a way to help people be well after that. And so that was a missing piece that we found that there were not these types of retreats or opportunities for people."
Knox adds with a smile that after starting the event, they discovered a similar option on the East coast, but decided that this is important to people in our region, as well.
She comments that, having seen the effects of the first year, it was an immediate goal to host it again.
"It was one of those weekends that I went away from it, just going, 'Yeah, this is what we set out to do.' This is something that our organization needs to work to continue, and we've done that. Some of the other special things last year."
With room for 30 registrants, Knox suggests registering sooner rather than later.
"We've expanded who our facilitators are we've still capped it at the same amount that it's 30 registrants is what we're accepting."
The event will go on in Southport from October 3 to 5.