Beyond Cancer Healing Retreat
September 11-14, 2025
Find strength, clarity, and community on your healing journey.
Join us for an unforgettable exploration of resilience, personal agency, and the healing power of community in a serene natural setting from September 11-14, 2025.
Set amidst the serene and awe-inspiring natural beauty of Copper Cayuse Outfitters, this four-day retreat is designed to provide purposeful and practical tools to support healing through the arts, horsemanship for all experience levels, yoga, nutrition, and meaningful connections with each other and nature. We warmly welcome cancer patients (at least six months post-diagnosis) and their caregivers to join us.
Guided by our team of experienced facilitators, including Registered Clinical Counsellor Marita Poll, this retreat explores the vital role of personal agency in the healing process. Together, participants will engage in reflective and empowering practices that cultivate resilience, emotional insight, and a deeper sense of connection to themselves and others.
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This retreat is designed for cancer patients who are at least six months post-diagnosis and their caregivers.
It offers practices and perspectives to support healing, foster resilience, and provide tools for navigating their unique journeys together.
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September 11-14, 2025 (4 Days, 3 Nights)
Meeting at 9:30 am on September 11 at the CCO ranch.
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Professional guides, well-trained mountain horses, tack, 3-night tented accommodation, wellness workshops, and all meals beginning with lunch at the ranch. A sleeping bag, cot, mat, tent, towel, washcloth, riding helmet ( if wanted) and riding cape are all supplied.
Please bring your water bottle, mug for hot beverages and yoga mat if you have one.
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Day 1 begins at the CCO Ranch at 7930 Pemberton Meadows Rd in the Pemberton Valley. We will relocate to the Backcountry Camp in the afternoon.
Days 2 -4 you will be exploring backcountry trails in the Birkenhead & Tenas areas
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$2,415 +5% tax, per person
The retreat begins with a day of arrival and grounding, followed by daily workshops, yoga sessions, equine therapy, and guided nutritional exploration. The calm, supportive environment will inspire participants to step into their healing journey with clarity and purpose, creating a personalized "toolbox" of strategies to carry forward into their lives. Healing is not a solitary path; it is a collective experience of strength and support.
We invite you to join us for this transformative retreat and leave with renewed inspiration, practical tools, and lasting connections that will empower you to move beyond cancer.
Meet Your Team
Marita Poll M.Ed RCC
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Marita is a compassionate and experienced counsellor with over 20 years of experience in cancer care. From 2004 to 2023, she provided counselling at a cancer clinic, and she now focuses on her private practice, specializing in supporting cancer patients, and their caregivers.
Marita holds advanced training in Somatic Psychotherapy, Emotion-Focused Therapy, Attachment-Focused EMDR, and Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, with a deep commitment to empowering clients through personalized care. She believes in the intrinsic ability to heal that is innate in everyone and sees counselling as a collaborative journey to uncover clarity, strength, and well-being.
Jan Kennett
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Jan has over 18 years of experience in the horse-riding business and 30 years of combined experience as a business owner. She owned and operated a ladies clothing and antiques shop in downtown Pemberton for 12 years and was a founder and contributing member of the Pemberton Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Pemberton.
She continues to be a valued mover and shaker of community life in Pemberton. She is the past president of the local branch of the Lions Club, and continues to be actively involved with their fund-raising initiatives. She sits on the Pemberton Valley Utility and Services Committee and works as a volunteer with the Better at Home social services initiative of the United Way in downtown Pemberton.
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A retired registered herbal therapist (RHT), Evelyn earned a Master of Health Science degree from the University of New England in 2010.
Owner and operator of Herbs for Health, she was in private clinical practice in the Sea to Sky corridor for 20 years and lectured at the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine until her retirement in 2023 .
Evelyn completed a Nutrition Science post graduate course from Stanford Medicine in 2022 and will be offering a workshop exploring the key role nutrition plays in supporting people with cancer throughout their journey and beyond.
In June of this year, Evelyn will also be hosting the 4th annual CCO Women’s Wellness Retreat.
Evelyn Coggins M.HSc RHT
Lindsay Craig
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Bringing humans and horses together has been Linday’s passion for over a decade now. In 2014 she earned a certification in Equine Assisted Learning and a college diploma in Counselling, then blended the two to teach people how to integrate their experiences with horses into personal growth.
Lindsay has spent her life around horses and is trained extensively in intuitive horsemanship and the human mind. She uses her rare combination of skills to help you find the truth of where your actual power resides, instead of the inauthenticity of extra steps you are using to try to make things work.
Her goal with all human/horse partnerships is to find a mutual, balanced, validated and clear line of communication.
Find her @cowboycoffeemagazine
Alice Savage
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Alice Savage RHN., is a Registered Holistic Nutritionist, Chef, and intuitive cook with over 30 years of experience. A mother of two teenage girls, Alice began her culinary journey at a Cordon Blue cookery school in England. She now brings her passion for food and vitality to life through private catering, providing fermented foods to her community, and hosting educational workshops focused on gut health. Guided by intuition and a deep connection to nourishment, Alice empowers women to reclaim their health and well-being through mindful and holistic practices.
Find her at https://www.alicesavage.com/
Sharon Matthews
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Sharon Matthews has retired from a long and successful career at Air Canada and now she is killing it as a prep cook/line cook in the camp kitchen.
She once had a penchant for road trips on big motorcycles and currently fashions exquisite hand sewn quilts in her spare time.
Retreat Highlights
Discover a transformative experience at the Beyond Cancer Healing Retreat, where expert guidance and holistic practices come together to support your journey.
Expert-Led Workshops: Gain valuable insights and practical tools from registered clinical counsellor, Marita Poll.
Holistic Healing: Engage in yoga, nutrition, and creative arts while embracing the calming beauty of nature.
Equine Connection: Feel the therapeutic power of horses.
Community Building: Build meaningful connections with fellow participants and facilitators in a supportive environment.
Programming
Workshops: Join Marita Poll for three impactful sessions focused on adaptive healing practices and perspectives.
Nutritional Guidance: Learn wellness-focused strategies tailored by Evelyn Coggins M.HSc RHT.
Nature & Equine Therapy: Participate in guided activities to deepen your connection with nature and horses.
Creative Arts & Yoga: Explore sessions designed to inspire, relax, and nurture emotional well-being.
Participants will leave the retreat with a personalized "toolbox" of strategies and practices to support their healing journey. They will gain increased clarity, insight, and problem-solving skills tailored to their unique circumstances. Additionally, attendees will forge lasting connections and create meaningful memories within a supportive and nurturing environment.
