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11-21 Fly-Fishing Retreat Catches on For Survivors of Cancer
2008 CFR NJ Staff pose with their big display fish Lisa Permunian is a 5-year cancer survivor. She is also the North New Jersey Retreat Coordinator for Casting For Recovery, a national non-profit organization that offers support and education to breast cancer survivors. By the end of the year, this unique group will have served over 3,500 women in 224 retreats with over one thousand volunteers nationwide. Founded in 1996, CFR runs free 2½-day retreats during which the sport of fly-fishing is incorporated into a program that promotes healing, both of the body and the spirit. CFR continues to grow and, with affiliated programs in the UK and Ireland, was featured in October on the Today Show. Its mission is to provide support and interaction, reducing the isolation survivors often feel. Permunian became involved with the program in 2004. “I was going through radiation,” she recalls. “I was in the waiting room and this woman walked in. She said I looked like an outdoorsy person and suggested we go. That woman, Sue Stephens, is on my staff now.” After attending the retreat, Permunian discovered the benefits of participation. In 2006, she made a decision to become more involved. “There’s a lot of people in general who don’t know about CFR. The more people I can reach, the better. That’s what I’m all about,” she says. On October 17, Permunian was invited to speak at a Gilda’s Club resource fair. The club was formed by Gene Wilder, husband of the late Gilda Radner, along with Joanna Bullin and Joel Siegel. She and her retreat leader, Andrea VanBenschoten, spoke to members of the organization. “Dr. Dana Holwitt M.D. was the keynote speaker,” Permunian recalls. There were many vendors there such as Sisters Network, Making Strides Against Breast Cancer, and Tennis for Life.” Vendors attended for a purpose similar to Permunian’s, to inform women about the support that is available to them in the community. Sister Network Inc. is the only national African American breast cancer survivorship organization in the U.S. The organization’s successful programs include “Stop the Silence”; the slogan having been used in billboard and bumper sticker campaigns. Tennis for Life is an Active Support Group for Breast Cancer Survivors offering free Indoor Tennis and Instruction. All levels of players, particularly beginners are invited to join year-round. Making Strides Against Breast Cancer of Parsippany raised $790,000 for the American Cancer Society at their October event. When Permunian is invited to speak, she puts her heart into it. “I have a scrapbook, a photoboard, and we take our mission statement and little giveaways with our logo. When people go home, they can look it up and see what we’re all about.” The CFR booth is eye catching. Permunian tells about the five foot stuffed fish she brought to the retreat. “I took him to Gilda’s Club and put him on top of the photoboard. People see this big crazy fish and say ‘hey, what’s this? Let’s check it out’. We were invited back because we’re a breath of fresh air,” she explains. “When people are discussing digital mammographies and ultrasounds, we come in wearing full fly-fishing gear, which means waders, vests, hats, and all our stuff hanging from our vests.” Permunian is proud of the fun she creates. “They tell us we’re great, the hit of last year,” she says. “They’re glad we came back. We’re already invited back next year.” While going through treatment, Pernunian says she wasn’t a normal patient. She says she’s doing even more now, and she wants to spread a message. “You can still do fun things. It’s not a death sentence anymore.” Casting For Recovery is not for everyone. The organization stipulates that participants must be breast cancer survivors with medical clearance from their doctor. “We’re at the Inn in Panther Valley from Friday until Sunday. The ladies arrive around four on Friday. On Sunday, around nine in the morning, we go to the Pequest Trout Hatchery in Oxford. There we have even more volunteers coming in, from Trout Unlimited and other places. Each woman gets paired up with an instructor all morning to help them fish. Then we have lunch and graduate and that’s it.” But that’s not really it. The majority of the weekend involves a camaraderie that lasts far beyond the retreat. “Friday and Saturday nights we have evening circle. Some women cry for the first time. Some talk about their cancer for the first time,” Permunian says. “There’s also a lot of medical information given out that weekend. It’s very informative. By the end of the weekend, everyone is so connected. It’s amazing.” Permunian isn’t the kind of person that looks at the negative. Her optimism is readily apparent. She recalls her last chemo treatment. “I brought in party hats and blowers and we had a chemo party. I put pink curly ribbon in my hat so I had hair that day.” For more information about Casting For Recovery, visit www.castingforrecovery.org or call 888-553-3500. To find out more about Gilda’s Club, go to www.gildasclubnnj.org. To learn more about Sisters Network, visit www.sistersnetworkinc.org. To find out more about Tennis for Life, visit www.tennisforlife.org. For information on Making Strides Against Breast Cancer, go to makingstrides.acsevents.org. Photo #2 - 2008 CFR NJ Staff
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