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Retreats provide renewal for survivors
  
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By Nicole Chillino
When former Monument resident Cathy Schulze set out to find her “new normal,” she landed on an idea that would help many other women who had survived breast cancer.
Noting there were no organizations offering support after cancer, in 2002 Schulze created a retreat for survivors like herself, who had been given a clean bill of health, to help them move forward with their lives after cancer, said her sister Mary Wood. Schulze passed away in 2004, but her legacy of helping women find HOPE — Healing Opportunities through Personal Enrichment, a workbook she created as part of the retreats — lives on.
Since her death, many women have gotten to know Schulze through their participation in the retreats, and as one woman put it, those who survive breast cancer come away with a feeling they are all sisters, Wood said. It is that thought that brought about the creation of the nonprofit organization through which the retreats are now run, Sisters HOPE, created by Wood, her brother Jack Glavan and parents Jack and Bern Glavan.
The retreats are geared toward women who have been cancer-free for six to 12 months, said Schulze’s friend Lindsay Clewe, also a breast cancer survivor. While battling cancer, one’s time is consumed by dealing with the disease, treatment and normal family life.
Clewe was diagnosed in 2001 and said she remembers little about what happened during the 18 months of her treatment. But her friend Schulze was a good resource for her.
Clewe participated in the pilot HOPE Retreat at a bed and breakfast in Dillon.
“No matter where you are when you go to the retreat, it can take you from there and help you move forward,” she said.
She said women who come to the retreat have all had their own, unique experiences with cancer. For instance, some women are diagnosed early, giving them a higher rate for survival, while others might have been diagnosed later. But cancer is cancer, regardless of its severity.
“When the doctor says you’ve got cancer, we’re all on the same playing field,” Clewe said.
Some women enjoy getting away for a few days to a place where they can take care of their own needs without having to take care of other people, she said. The time allows some to process their experience with cancer, while others are simply thankful to have gotten through it.
Clewe said in her case, she continued to take her kids to sports and scouting activities and helped them with homework.
“Life went on, and I wanted it to,” she said. “You don’t want the cancer to make you who you are.”
The HOPE Retreat is a place for participants to reflect and find acceptance, Clewe said. Since participating in the retreat in 2002, she has continued to help with Sisters HOPE by acting as a facilitator for many retreats and as a coordinator for a couple of them.
In addition to the retreats, the Monument community has supported Sisters HOPE by being a host to barbecues, creating pendants and otherwise donating to the organization, Wood said.
For more information about Sisters HOPE and the retreats offered, including one Nov. 12-15, visit www.sistershope.org.
Noting there were no organizations offering support after cancer, in 2002 Schulze created a retreat for survivors like herself, who had been given a clean bill of health, to help them move forward with their lives after cancer, said her sister Mary Wood. Schulze passed away in 2004, but her legacy of helping women find HOPE — Healing Opportunities through Personal Enrichment, a workbook she created as part of the retreats — lives on.
Since her death, many women have gotten to know Schulze through their participation in the retreats, and as one woman put it, those who survive breast cancer come away with a feeling they are all sisters, Wood said. It is that thought that brought about the creation of the nonprofit organization through which the retreats are now run, Sisters HOPE, created by Wood, her brother Jack Glavan and parents Jack and Bern Glavan.
The retreats are geared toward women who have been cancer-free for six to 12 months, said Schulze’s friend Lindsay Clewe, also a breast cancer survivor. While battling cancer, one’s time is consumed by dealing with the disease, treatment and normal family life.
Clewe was diagnosed in 2001 and said she remembers little about what happened during the 18 months of her treatment. But her friend Schulze was a good resource for her.
Clewe participated in the pilot HOPE Retreat at a bed and breakfast in Dillon.
“No matter where you are when you go to the retreat, it can take you from there and help you move forward,” she said.
She said women who come to the retreat have all had their own, unique experiences with cancer. For instance, some women are diagnosed early, giving them a higher rate for survival, while others might have been diagnosed later. But cancer is cancer, regardless of its severity.
“When the doctor says you’ve got cancer, we’re all on the same playing field,” Clewe said.
Some women enjoy getting away for a few days to a place where they can take care of their own needs without having to take care of other people, she said. The time allows some to process their experience with cancer, while others are simply thankful to have gotten through it.
Clewe said in her case, she continued to take her kids to sports and scouting activities and helped them with homework.
“Life went on, and I wanted it to,” she said. “You don’t want the cancer to make you who you are.”
The HOPE Retreat is a place for participants to reflect and find acceptance, Clewe said. Since participating in the retreat in 2002, she has continued to help with Sisters HOPE by acting as a facilitator for many retreats and as a coordinator for a couple of them.
In addition to the retreats, the Monument community has supported Sisters HOPE by being a host to barbecues, creating pendants and otherwise donating to the organization, Wood said.
For more information about Sisters HOPE and the retreats offered, including one Nov. 12-15, visit www.sistershope.org.
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