Fly Fishing Retreats for Breast Cancer Survivors: Healing in Nature

Finding Strength, Stillness, and Support in the Water

This is a story about how spending time in nature can be an effective therapy. Casting for Recovery is a national nonprofit transforming the lives of breast cancer survivors and thrivers through free, therapeutic fly fishing retreats. Founded in 1996, the organization was inspired by a simple but powerful idea: the gentle, rhythmic motion of casting a fly rod can help with upper body mobility after surgery or radiation. But as participants quickly learn, these retreats offer far more than physical recovery; they create space for emotional healing, peer connection, and profound moments of reflection in nature.

In this film, we hear from women whose lives have been touched by breast cancer and by the river. With a fly rod in hand and community by their side, they rediscover joy, resilience, and a sense of release. Through mindful catch-and-release fishing, in partnership with sustainability initiative Keep Fish Wet, the program also reinforces a respect for aquatic life. As participant Carrie Dean shares, “Life is short… cancer wakes you up real quick. So if you want to learn how to do it, then go do it.” These stories remind us of the power of healing, nature, and saying yes to something new.