Contributions of a Retreat Weekend to the Healing and Coping of Cancer Patients' Relatives

Relatives play a key role in the daily support and care of cancer patients. This role, however, can negatively affect relatives physically, psychologically, emotionally, and spiritually, challenging their health and well-being. Consequently, this could inhibit relatives’ abilities to continue in their roles as caregivers. Although various studies have examined different interventions for the relatives of cancer patients, no formal research has been published on the role that retreat weekends play in their cancer journeys. In this qualitative study we used semistructured interviews to explore the experiences of 8 relatives who attended a “Skills for Healing Retreat Weekend” in Ontario, Canada. The findings indicate that the retreat, in bringing people together to partake in discussions and activities, fostered a sense of community among the participants. The retreat also had enduring effects, contributing to relatives’ ongoing processes of healing as well as providing them with strategies for coping in their roles as caregivers.