A Fishing Retreat in Maine for Men with Cancer

By Frederick Thurber

2 min read

Dealing with prostate cancer can be a lonely, frightening journey. You might be feeling anxious, frustrated, and isolated, but there are resources that can help. One such resource is Reel Recovery.

A wonderful program

The fly fishing retreats offered by Reel Recovery are a wonderful program for patients with prostate cancer. These retreats are free to men living with any type of cancer, whether it is in remission or not, and take place in some of the most beautiful and iconic fishing locations in the country.

If you are having trouble dealing with prostate cancer, or the side effects from treatments, these retreats can offer support during a difficult time in your life. You will get a chance to talk to other men facing similar issues in a beautiful setting with a chance to fish some classic trout waters. Even if you cannot cast a fly rod, you should consider one of these retreats; beginners are welcome, and personalized casting lessons are available.

A great privilege

On the first day of autumn this year I had the great privilege of joining Reel Recovery in Maine for a retreat for men with cancer. I was there as a reporter, having previously been to a retreat in Montana as a participant.

The Maine retreat was held at Weatherby’s sporting lodge on Grand Lake Stream in Downeast Maine. I was worried I would be considered an outsider to the men at the retreat as I sat down at their first dinner; however, the man sitting opposite me was having difficulties dealing with ADT treatment for prostate cancer. I had the same issues, so we immediately had a connection. As it turned out, most of the men at the retreat were living with prostate cancer.

The camaraderie

The beautiful surroundings, the fly fishing, the moderated discussions and the camaraderie of men tended to bond them together and offer solace. The discussions, called “Courageous Conversations,” allowed the participants to air out their concerns in a mutually supportive environment with other men who are facing similar struggles.

Bill Campbell, a cancer survivor from Virginia, had this to say about the retreat: “Healing happens when I share my story and listen to others. The more I avail myself of that, the healthier I'll become, mentally, emotionally, and ultimately physically. The retreat showed me the healing power of peer support and heartfelt communication.”

Making a difference

For me and others who have experienced a Reel Recovery retreat, we will be forever indebted to the volunteers and fishing guides who run these retreats, plus the donors who made it possible. Most of these highly-dedicated guides took time off from work and families to assist the participants in the Maine retreat. The Orvis Company in Vermont has been a major financial donor to the Maine retreats, as have other organizations and individuals.

If you are having a difficult time dealing with prostate cancer or the side effects of your treatments, consider a Reel Recovery retreat. During a retreat, you will be treated like a king; empathy and kindness, so lacking in many medical facilities, is here in abundance. You will also get to network with other men living with cancer in a beautiful location and fish some classic trout streams. A Reel Recovery retreat made a difference in my life, and it can make a difference in yours as well.

This article represents the opinions, thoughts, and experiences of the author; none of this content has been paid for by any advertiser. The ProstateCancer.net team does not recommend or endorse any products or treatments discussed herein. Learn more about how we maintain editorial integrity here.

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Dennis E. Golden Moderator & Contributor
Building relationships in school was easy. But as we age it is easy to become isolated. Family and job pressures can often prevent us from finding new buds. If that were not enough corporate moves, job opportunities and friends passing can all foster a sense of isolation. Meeting up with a bunch of guys who are in a similar health situation on a fishing tip = pure heaven
mch1948 Member
Take a look at their website. They have a number of different dates available across the country. I signed up for a retreat in September as it is the closest location to me. Can't wait. Sounds like a both a good time and a support group 
1. Frederick Thurber Moderator & Contributor
 Great! I am glad you got into a retreat. It will be one of the most memorable fishing trips of your life. I found talking about my cancer with a bunch of guys going through the same things to be emotionally challenging. I was fairly unhappy about it at the time, but it was immensely beneficial to me in the long run. And the guys were GREAT and the fishing/locale were magical; I had never been to Montana and had rarely met such friendly people. What I find shocking is that more people do not take advantage of this wonderful opportunity. You don't even have to be able to cast a fly; they will help you with that. One of the guys in Maine could not even lift his shoulder and could barely cast with his left arm, but he was thrilled.
Eric C. Member
I found out about Reel Recovery a few months ago through this forum and have signed up for a retreat in August. I'm looking forward to this very much! I just finished treatment in March and am having a difficult time with the side effects of ADT/Radiation, but this event gives me somthing to look forward to!
1. SamuelTaylor Community Admin
 We are so happy to hear that you're signed up with that retreat, <inline-mention username="Eric C." user-id="3258335"/>! I hope it is a nice and supportive time for you. Wishing you all the best and looking forward to hearing about those travels when you return. -Samuel, Team Member 
2. Frederick Thurber Moderator & Contributor
 That is great! When I got the acceptance letter, it changed my whole outlook on life; I too had something to look forward to, and the retreat turned out to be better than I could have imagined. Godspeed to you and MCH and all the others here who are going to such a retreat; I am rooting for you. Please let us know how it works out. You will probably find, as I did, that most of the guys who go to these retreats have/had prostate cancer, and most of those had problems with ADT. As a reporter at the Maine retreat, I was not sure that the guys would accept me, but at dinner the first night, the guy across from me was having problems with ADT also! His problems were almost identical to mine. We hit it off instantly. Even the guys who did not have prostate cancer, were very accepting. The cancer stage for the guys at the retreat varies widely. Some guys were in remission for decades and some were dealing with a serious, active cancer. Also some guys had a horrific time with the treatments, especially the young man who was in the hospital for almost a year with a rare blood cancer, while others did not. Although I was pretty miserable because of the ADT treatment, I was thankful and even a bit guilty that I had not gone through hell like some of the guys. I found that the men who attend these retreats come from widely different backgrounds (especially at the Montana retreat where there were cowboys mixing with executives), but we all got along very, very well. The experiences we shared bonded us in a way I did not think possible.
Digger Member
Hi Dave here how do u sign up for the retreat it sounds great,when is it I would love to talk to others whom have what I do thanks 
1. Frederick Thurber Moderator & Contributor
 The retreat was a life changing event for me. I will be forever indebted to Reel Recovery for this program. You will meet other men who are dealing with cancer (mostly prostate cancer). It is a very supportive environment. You can apply for a retreat at this web site: https://reelrecovery.org/programs/application/ The retreats run all summer and fall at various locations. A list of retreat locations can be found here: https://reelrecovery.org/programs/retreat-schedule/ In most cases Reel Recovery prefers that you attend the closest retreat to your home address, but this is not strictly enforced. At the Maine retreat all the attendees were from New England, but the Montana retreat had participants from all over the west, although I was the only easterner.
Digger Member
Sent information that they asked for never heard from them.
Frederick Thurber Moderator & Contributor
So you applied for a retreat and never heard back from them? How long ago was this and which retreat was it? I seem to remember that when I applied for the Montana retreat it took a long time to get a response; in fact I had sort of forgotten about it and written it off as another long shot, lottery type of event that I had no chance of getting into so I was shocked when I get the acceptance letter. It was worth the wait; I have fished most of my life, but the retreat was the most meaningful fishing trip I ever went on. That being said, you can contact them here and ask about the status of your application: <a href='https://reelrecovery.org/contact-us/' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer ugc'>https://reelrecovery.org/contact-us/</a> or write directly to the Program Director, Shiloh Price, at shiloh@reelrecovery.org