The Breast Cancer Recovery Foundation is an organization geared toward helping women triumph over breast cancer. Operating under the belief that women diagnosed with breast cancer face special challenges, the foundation offers a combination of wellness retreats, educational events, fundraising efforts and physical fitness opportunities to help them. Established by a breast cancer survivor, the foundation relies on women who have experienced breast cancer to facilitate workshops and support groups for those who have recently received a diagnosis.
History
The Breast Cancer Recovery Foundation began with the inception of its four-day wellness flagship program, Infinite Boundaries, for women who have experienced breast cancer. Ann Haney, a health administrator for the state of Wisconsin, started the program in 1996. Haney founded Infinite Boundaries upon noticing that women who experience breast cancer sometimes struggle to maintain their feminine sense of self. After she was diagnosed with breast cancer, Haney decided to start a special program to help women address issues relating to breast cancer. The Breast Cancer Recovery Foundation is the umbrella for the Infinite Boundaries program.
Retreats
The Infinite Boundaries program of the Breast Cancer Recovery Foundation involves four-day retreats for women experiencing breast cancer. The retreats offer support group discussions, opportunities for creative work and low-impact sports including yoga, kayaking, hiking and bicycling. The foundation also offers special retreats for women who have been diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer, and for young women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer. In all of the retreats, breast cancer survivors are on hand to help facilitate discussions with those undergoing the experience.
The wellness retreats offer support groups in which women can discuss fears and challenges, express themselves creatively through artwork and participate in low-impact fitness activities that encourage strength and personal growth.
Women experiencing breast cancer can get involved with the Breast Cancer Recovery Foundation by registering to attend a retreat. Infinite Boundaries programs fill up fast, so early registration is recommended. Women may register by phone or online. Fees cost around $300, including lodging, meals and activities.
Most retreats take place during the summertime, and are held at various locations around Wisconsin. Retreats are held at the Wild Eagle Resort in Eagle River, Wisconsin; at Bjorklunden in Baileys Harbor, Wisconsin and at the Sundra Inn & Spa in the Wisconsin Dells in Wisconsin.
Wild Eagle Resort
4443 Chain O' Lakes Road
Eagle River, WI 54521
877-945-3965
wildeaglelodge.com
Bjorklunden
7590 Boynton Lane
Baileys Harbor, WI 54202
920-839-2216
lawrence.edu
Events
Every year, the Breast Cancer Recovery Foundation offers special events geared toward helping women prevail over challenges involving breast cancer. Party on the Lake is the foundation's primary annual fundraiser in Wisconsin in which women with breast cancer and the foundation's supporters gather together for a silent auction, music performances, meditation and candle-lighting ceremonies.
The Breast Cancer Recovery Foundation also sponsors a Yoga Heals fundraising event, where participants can take morning yoga classes in a scenic environment, share a light breakfast and learn about area yoga and wellness studios.
Previous events have included attending health fairs, wine and chocolate tastings and other fundraising events.
Funding
The Breast Cancer Recovery Foundation got its start in 1996 with major funding from Haney's then employer, Dean Health Plan. Other major funders include Affinity Health System, American Family Insurance and Bassett Foundation.
In 2007, the Breast Cancer Recovery Foundation received an endowment to commemorate its 10-year anniversary, facilitating the donation of sizable gifts. The Breast Cancer Recovery Endowment was created to continue Haney's legacy, and provide a place to consolidate gifts of cash, stock, real estate, bequests and other instruments, according to the Breast Cancer Recovery Foundation.
Supporters of the Breast Cancer Recovery Foundation can get involved by making a donation, attending fundraising events or sponsoring a fundraising event. Those donating more than $25,000 may have an endowment fund named after them. Individuals may also organize planned giving.
The foundation provides "Ambassador Kits" to guide those interested in sponsoring a fundraising event to contribute toward the Breast Cancer Recovery Endowment.
Retreat Research
The Breast Cancer Recovery Foundation conducts research on some of their efforts, including the wellness retreats, to confirm their effects. In preliminary findings, the retreats, which involved 109 participants, including 56 control individuals, were shown to improve feelings about body image and decrease feelings of anxiety.
Tags: Breast Cancer Recovery, Cancer Recovery, Cancer Recovery Foundation, Recovery Foundation, Infinite Boundaries, breast cancer
