About the Retreat

A powerful weekend retreat for women cancer survivors to network with other survivors and to learn strategies for coping with, recovering from, and surviving cancer.

The Ropes Course

The thread that weaves the weekend together is the Ropes Course, a powerful personal and teamwork experience that unforgettably simulates the challenges of a cancer diagnosis and treatment.  It is an event during the weekend retreat that teaches coping and survivor skills for women cancer survivors, and creates a powerful network of women.

Our Ropes course has been specifically designed for women cancer survivors, in most stages of health and recovery. The course is facilitated by a team of Ropes Course professionals who specialize in empowerment work. The same muscle groups used for walking will get you through the activities of this course.

The ropes course events are not physically challenging, but they provide emotional, psychological, and even spiritual challenges and awakenings.

You can choose to participate actively or simply join in by providing support to others. Whatever your choice, the events will assist you in examining your personal cancer recovery or prognosis, provide powerful insights into your ability to choose the quality of your survivorship, and empower you to reclaim your strengths and abilities

“The Ropes Course brought my fears to the surface. I had no idea that since cancer I had retreated into a very small, safe box of limitations and fear. I had forgotten what it was like to live through my fear-to use its momentum to experience life fully.”

Quotes

“Before breast cancer I thought I was Wonder Woman. Now I am struggling just to be a woman.”

“You can’t share all these problems with your family and friends because they have used all their energy in seeing you through treatment. Now they want you to move on with your life.”

“I was standing at the crossroads. All the rules had changed; my values had changed; my old goals didn’t work any more. Where would I find the energy to move forward with my life?”

“Worries about not being there for my children nearly froze me.”

“I was at a point where it was too much for me to go on. I had almost given up on the battle.”

“This weekend [Healing Odyssey] gave me strength and hope.”

“I’m freed of hate and anger about my cancer.”

“Everyone who has experienced cancer will get what they need here”

“…a new beginning to my life”

“…brought my sense of self back”

“so healing, so life-affirming, so fear-reducing”

“I’ve been numb for so long–this weekend made me come alive”

“I now know that I am very brave”

“A heart-opening amazing growth experience”

“I want everyone to feel this joy I am feeling”

“I now know there IS life after cancer—joyful, glorious life!”

“I laughed and smiled more this weekend than I have in the past six months, since my breast cancer diagnosis. I actually feel happy and healthy and eager to go on with my life.”

“What I treasure the most are the new friends I have made. These women…have become a new support system for me. We really understand each other!”

“Healing Odyssey gave me hope, release of fear, many wonderful new friends and the feeling in my soul that I can make it through anything, even fear of cancer, with joy in my heart. It was the best thing I ever did for myself.”

“Thank you for giving me back my life. Ever since this experience I have felt so at peace with myself.”

“I have been living with cancer since my recurrence two years ago. The Healing Odyssey women have given me strength, hope and love, and made my journey so much more tolerable. … I really don’t think others could ever comprehend the magic that we experience. I will be forever grateful.”

“I don’t know how I would have stayed the course if I had not been rejuvenated by the staff and other women on those unbelievable three days. “

“Those of us who have had a cancer diagnosis live with the possibility of recurrence at any time. The regeneration of optimism and commitment to live life fully is part of what we experience in these retreats.”

“I realized I could choose to be dying of cancer or choose to be living with cancer. Because of Healing Odyssey, I have chosen to live!”