Brief Description:

Parents of cancer-stricken children are invited to spend 3 invigorating days of relaxation, entertainment, and emotional support with 100 other heroic parents facing similar situations.

The Need:

When a child is diagnosed with cancer, the family immediately enters a state of shock, fear, and bewilderment. After spending long, anxiety-filled bouts in the hospital supporting their children through painful treatments and procedures, the parents need time off to destress and regain their energy.

The Program:

Larger Than Life offers two trips, one for mothers and one for fathers, to allow the parents of children with cancer to take a break from all the stress in their lives.
The vacation provides a much needed mental break from their worries and cares back home, and allows them the opportunity to connect with parents in similar situations.

Mom Retreat:

Mothers are often the ones to bear most of the responsibility in tending to their child’s illness.
With this 3 day recovery retreat for moms, we aim to help them relax, rejuvenate, and connect with other moms facing the same challenges, so they’re able to return home to their families with a renewed sense of energy.

The retreat give mothers the opportunity to indulge themselves with treats they couldn’t find the time for otherwise, in between their child’s chemotherapy and other treatments. They are offered massages and beauty treatments, daily hikes, and intimate support group meetings with other moms and professionals, during which they can open up and share their hopes, fears, worries, and hardships.

For many moms, this is their first time away from their sick child’s bed, and often the first time they’re able to get a full night’s rest. At home, they must be pillars of strength for their families. At the retreat, they can just be human.

Dad Retreat:
Over the course of 3 days, 100 fathers of sick children are invited to attend a relaxing vacation, where they enjoy much needed rest, entertainment, adventure, and support from other dads in similar situations.

The dads take part in jeep trips, extreme sports, hikes, bonfires, barbecues, lectures by professional psychologists, and more. They’re provided the opportunity to let go and mentally step away from their challenges at home. The retreat allows them to simply relax and bond with other dads who understand the hardships they’re enduring.

Throughout the 3 days, the dads also participate in intimate support groups. As they open up to the other participants about their worries and fears, they also receive emotional support from dads of children who have recovered from cancer. This fills them with a great sense of hope, and renewed energies, which prepares them well for the uphill battle waiting for them at home.

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The cost of sending one parent on this retreat.

As the cost of treatment for their children is a heavy financial burden, this program is entirely free to the mothers and fathers who participate, and is funded by the generosity of people like you. With your help, we can continue to support the heroic parents as they navigate the challenges of having a child with cancer.