Women Cancer Survivors Take Part in Retreat

On Saturday, April 28, sixteen women in recovery from breast cancer took part in the 2007 Casting for Confidence-South Retreat. Besides the Casting for Confidence-North Retreat which is held each year in October in Blue Ridge GA, Mercer University School of Medicine and the Georgia Women Fly Fishers teamed up this year to again hold a retreat in Forsyth GA. The retreat was offered to cancer patients who are beginning to resume normal physical activity. There is no charge to attend.

Dr. Janet Piskurich, Associate Professor, Mercer University School of Medicine, served as the chief organizer for the event, with assistance at Mercer from Ernestine Waters and in Forsyth from Eva Persons. Dr. Piskurich conceptualized the first Casting for Confidence retreat which was held in Forsyth in 2002. Since then, a total of six retreats have been held with over 70 participants. Among the organizers was Wanda Taylor, the first woman to be certified as a master fly-casting instructor by the Federation of Fly Fishers. "It's wonderful to see these women forget about their illness and focus on the day's activities," she said. "They really begin to focus on the moment and enjoy their time outdoors." A presentation about Casting for Confidence will be given at the 2007 Federation of Fly Fishers National Meeting in Livingston MT in August.

At the retreats, participants are divided into teams and rotate through sessions on fly casting and fly tying. Mercer University School of Medicine students, Alice Maynard and Heather Sumner, served as team leaders at the April event. After lunch, participants have time to attend sessions covering various aspects of recovery. Sessions were offered by Dr. Kathryn Hillard and Lisa Persons, Dr. Martha Malone, Dr. Sonia Miles, Diana Raley, and Drs. Roberta Weintraut and Emmacarrie Brown. In the afternoon, each participant is given a one-hour guided fly fishing session with experienced fly fishers and professional fly fishing instructors acting as guides. An awards supper always concludes the retreat.

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