Benefits of Attending a Weekend Childhood Cancer Survivor Family Retreat

Abstract

Families of childhood cancer survivors report a lack of support following the completion of therapy. Retreats in a nonclinical therapeutic setting optimize family-perceived support, relationship building, and reconnecting survivor families.

Enduring psychological impact of childhood cancer on survivors and their families in Ireland: A national qualitative study

“…This is consistent with prior research on childhood cancer in which the family unit is described as the “cancer patient,” and not just the individual diagnosed with cancer (Ljungman et al., 2014). Qualitative studies in USA and Canada have highlighted the potential benefits of retreats and other family‐based interventions to allow survivors, siblings and parents to connect with their own family members and with others in non‐clinical therapeutic settings to build support networks (Bashore & Bender, 2017; Korver, Kinghorn, Negin, Shea‐Perry, & Martiniuk, 2017). Greater family cohesion and support can improve children's adjustment during survivorship, improve their social competence, and reduce the likelihood of posttraumatic stress and behavioural problems (Van Schoors et al., 2017).…”

Letter to the Editor: The development of knights cabin cancer retreats: a community program to engage cancer survivors’ proactive health behaviors

“…Knight's Cabin Cancer Retreats have been successfully run across Canada and have been well received by participants and supporters. Of greatest benefit may be the format of health education in the retreat environment which allows for emotional support, engagement with other cancer survivors in a therapeutically natural environment, which may remove the feeling of isolation that is noted in traditional cancer treatment [4]. This is something that appears to be lacking in much of the community-based programming.…”