From Reel Recovery:
Two decades, 4000 anglers and countless ‘courageous conversations’ later,
Reel Recovery looks forward to the next milestones
Reel Recovery is celebrating 20 years of providing expenses-paid fly fishing trips for men living with cancer with its biggest season ever – 30 retreats in 20 states plus four retreats in New Zealand and Australia.
The Reel Recovery team has already helped over 4,000 men find peace in the face of a cancer diagnosis; now, they’ve set their eyes on the next 4,000 with an expanding, international program offering a record-number 34 retreats in 2023.
While support groups are proven to be effective in helping people with cancer, men are outpaced by women in support group participation by as much as three to one. Reel Recovery has found success by putting time on the water at the forefront of a program specifically tailored to men living with cancer, with no previous fly fishing experience necessary.
“Getting out into nature is such a relief from the confinement and sometimes isolation that can come with cancer treatment,” said Reel Recovery Executive Director Stan Golub. “We’ve heard it time and time again from men who’ve attended our programs: When they’re out on the water, it’s as if their cancer drifts away.”
By providing a peaceful, reflective environment that gets men away from the stresses of their day-to-day responsibilities, Reel Recovery creates the opportunity to gain a fresh perspective on living with cancer. Along with time on the water, the men take part in professionally facilitated “courageous conversations” that allow them to share their cancer related experiences with other men in similar situations.
“Many of our participants have never tried fly fishing before, nor have they talked much about their cancer,” said Golub, “but learning something new and feeling the support of the other men can lead to a new outlook and hope for the future.
Reel Recovery’s 20th Anniversary Season of expenses-paid fly fishing retreats is ongoing, and while some openings still exist, many programs are filling up. See below for the 2023 schedule.
To learn more about Reel Recovery, to register, donate or volunteer at a local retreat, visit reelrecovery.org.
