MY SITE
  • BLOG
  • ABOUT DONNA
  • CONTACT

HOME ROW


with Donna Cronk

CASTING FOR RECOVERY: ABOUT MORE THAN FISHING

4/18/2018

2 Comments

 
PicturePhoto provided / Kandi Rutledge enjoys a transformative weekend several years ago at a Casting for Recovery retreat for breast cancer survivors. With her is a volunteer who is now deceased.
 Note: I wrote this story for Sunday's New Castle Courier-Times.  Breast cancer survivor Kandi Rutledge remains so moved by attending a Casting for Recovery fishing retreat,  an experience that changed her life. She pays it forward as a volunteer for the unique organization that helped her so much. She wants those with breast cancer at any stage to know that they may apply to attend these free retreats.

KNIGHTSTOWN — Kandi Rutledge remembers how touched she was by the warm cookies.


The memory of the unexpected treats brought to her at a 2005 retreat for breast cancer survivors reminds her of why she volunteers for Casting for Recovery, a national nonprofit organization that offers support and educational programs for breast-cancer survivors.

There are two annual two-and-a-half-day retreats each year in Indiana. 
“This is just like being in a unique world, a perfect world in a way,” Rutledge says of the retreats, which take place at Wooded Glen Retreat & Conference Center in Henryville.

Breast-cancer survivors at any age or stage can still apply for the Sept. 7-9 retreat. Applications are due by June 29. Fourteen are chosen randomly from submissions. To apply online, visit www.castingforrecovery.org.

Since she attended as a survivor, Rutledge has returned once since then as a  team member to serve guests. 

“To fish is hope,” says Rutledge. “Whether you catch, whether you fish, it’s being in nature and being with others who are survivors."

She says much of the retreat’s joy, in fact, is being with those who have been or are going through what you have. She had fished for years but had never fly-fished until the retreat. Fishing is a reason to get together, but it doesn’t have to be the main reason. In fact, it probably isn’t for most or many who attend.

‘Like a queen’

Rutledge talks about “being treated like queen,” and she mentions the lavish meals, comfortable rooms, bonfire, walks on the trails and yes, instruction in fly fishing, that were part of the weekend. There are also professionals such as psychologists and an oncology nurse or doctor there, and information about support groups and other aspects of the breast-cancer journey.

There are even reunions with the survivors you meet during the weekends. This is the 13th year for the Indiana retreats.

Funding comes from a variety of sources, including individual, organization and corporate donors and grants. She mentions that at the retreats, there have been women as young as 28 and as old as 80, a mother-daughter duo and a woman who is blind.

Along with the emotional connection she finds with other survivors, Rutledge points to experiencing the newness of life in nature and the development of range-of-motion skills often needed by survivors, found with the motion of fly fishing.

If transportation there is a problem, Casting for Recovery will find them rides. She says if selected, it is important for the attendee to compile doctor clearance and the proper medical paperwork.

At age 72 now, Rutledge is a 21-year breast cancer survivor. “If that would give somebody hope, just seeing that someone is 21 years out, that’s what I can do,” she says.

Rutledge worked in the medical field and is now retired. Married to Don, they have a son, Matt, and two deceased daughters, Tami and Anneke. The couple also has nine grandchildren and two great-grandchildren and just celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.

She says the good Lord has been with her in her struggles. “He’s been the anchor all the way through,” she says.

New friendships

Stephanie Probst, also of Knightstown, attended the Henryville retreat last summer. Like Rutledge, she is doing well physically, four years out from HERS2 Stage 4 breast cancer.

She found out about the retreats from information in her doctor’s office.

What she likes best about the experience is having “14 brand-new lifelong friends.” She also loves to fish and has found that the motion involved in fly fishing has been helpful to her own arm movements.

“Fly fishing showed me I can work at it and get it back,” she says.

What she learned about fly fishing at the retreat has led to a new hobby which also serves as therapy. Probst, 55, works in quality control for Keihn in Greenfield. She is married to Jeffery and they have three sons: Bret, Anthony and Nick, along with two granddaughters.

“The retreat made me see how therapeutic fly fishing is; not only physically but it is very relaxing too.”

For more about Casting for Recovery, contact Rutledge at kandifly@gmail.com or call 765-465-5570. The national website is www.castingforrecovery.org.


2 Comments
Debbie M. link
4/18/2018 04:39:31 pm

There are so many different and great support groups out there. I hope that people will recognize these opportunities for some extra TLC in their cancer journeys!

Reply
Donna Cronk
4/22/2018 07:30:36 am

It is wonderful that there is so much support.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    DONNA CRONK

    FUN WITH HEIRLOOMS
    is my most popular program for 2023, inspired by my memoir There's a Clydesdale in the Attic: Reflections on Keeping and Letting Go. Contact me to hear about possible programs for your event.

    CONTACT: Let's talk about it. Call 317-224-7028. Email:
    newsgirl.1958@gmail.
    com.  



    Archives

    May 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015

    Categories

    All
    Age Thing
    Aging
    Author Journey
    Christmas
    Clydesdale In The Attic
    Cooking
    Cooties
    Crafts
    Creepy!
    Decor
    Faith
    Family
    Farm
    Fashion
    Friendships
    Gardening
    God Bless America
    Gratitude
    Guest Posts
    Hair!
    Halloween
    Holidays
    Home
    Indiana
    Indiana Bicentennial
    Keeping The Peace
    Life Connections
    Mail Call
    Newspapers
    Next Chapter
    Pen Women
    Photography
    Poison Ivy!
    Quilting Club
    Reggie
    Retirement
    Sadness
    Seasons
    Seller's Cabinet
    Shopping
    Sleep
    Snow Day
    Tourism
    Travel
    Union County
    Weird Food
    What We Keep
    Writer Chicks Society
    Writing

Proudly powered by Weebly
Photos from Lise1011, Simone Ramella, StarsApart, Biblioteca General Antonio Machado, kennethkonica, roseannadana: Thank you for 3 million views, GotCredit, chuck4x5, besnette, nielskliim, James E. Petts, jeffdjevdet, rumolay, kkmarais, tgrauros, susivinh, Larry1732, Toolstotal, PreparedBC, SandCrestSEO, quapan, mitchell haindfield, Phillip Pessar, Christian Collins, tvanhoosear, Xandriss, Single Line Artist, wuestenigel, iainmerchant, DrPhotoMoto, RLHyde, tonyhall, Swallowtail Garden Seeds, Carol (vanhookc), marcoverch, MassiveKontent, MTAPhotos, rich701, erix!, wuestenigel, Tatiana_0000, katerha, Keith Williamson, Joe The Goat Farmer, smlp.co.uk
  • BLOG
  • ABOUT DONNA
  • CONTACT