Benefits of Attending a Weekend Childhood Cancer Survivor Family Retreat

PURPOSE: To explore the long-term benefits to families of childhood cancer survivors who attended a weekend childhood cancer survivor family retreat. DESIGN: Descriptive-qualitative study including families who had attended the weekend retreat at least once but not in the past 12 months, and who attend a large pediatric hematology and oncology cancer survivorship program in Texas. METHODS: A semistructured interview guide was used during three audio-taped focus groups to explore the benefits of having attended a weekend retreat. Descriptive qualitative analysis was used to analyze the focus groups' transcripts. FINDINGS: Seven families participated in the focus groups, and the themes identified were reconnecting (with others or family), putting life in perspective, and changing outlook on life. CONCLUSIONS: Retreats offer families of cancer survivors opportunities to reconnect with others and their own family members in a therapeutic environment. These reconnections in a therapeutic environment enriched the families' positive outlooks on life and changed their perspectives. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Families of childhood cancer survivors report a lack of support following the completion of therapy. Retreats in a nonclinical therapeutic setting optimize family-perceived support, relationship building, and reconnecting survivor families.