Carli Stockton
2022 Participant/Breast Cancer Survivor
Oak Island, NC

We had a wonderful time on our retreat in Oak Island, NC last week and were sad to leave on Saturday. The volunteers and Little Pink team were so wonderful and all the details put into making the week so special for us was so appreciated. Our director was wonderful and so kind. Our Volunstar was very attentive to us and so good with our kids, they loved him! We all did! I love that he is using his experience to help others, we hope to follow his lead and do the same. I could go on and on and don’t mean to leave anyone out, everyone was so kind and made us feel like VIPs all week. My kids had a blast and loved all of the activities and the desserts, ha! My husband and I had a great time and had some good talks together when we would go back to the house. I was able to express my feelings to him in ways I hadn’t been able to before, and it really helped him to understand what I was going thru better I think. My time with the other survivors was very impactful. I was very skeptical about all the “cancery stuff” going into the trip and had kind of decided ahead of time that we would just do our own thing all week, but I am so glad I pushed myself (with help from my hubby) out of my comfort zone because I have felt so alone the past year in my feelings and to hear other women express those same things was so comforting for me.
I think one of the biggest things we took away from the week is the goodness of people. The generosity of the gifts, time, and opportunities given to our family was overwhelming. We try to teach our kids the importance of helping others and being generous with what God has blessed us with and seeing that in action all week was so powerful for them and us “big kids” as well. So many times throughout the week, when paddleboard instructors were so patient with me, or I got another gift from the community, or a volunstar made me feel comfortable, or when I saw my kids playing with new friends or talking to a volunstar who was fully involved in what they had to say, or I watched my husband talk to other men in his unique and difficult position, I thought to myself “wow these are random strangers who are so kind, and my kids get to see that and feel that generosity first hand.” One of the silver linings of this whole crappy cancer thing is the love and support we have felt from friends and family, but on some level, you expect that if you are lucky enough to have those people in your life, but to receive it so graciously and fully from people you just met was something else. When you have been dealing with it for so long you start to feel like an annoyance to those who see you all the time, and you don’t want to feel like you are always asking for help, this was a welcome break from that feeling as well. Thank you for showing my kids, my husband, and myself that even with all the ugliness there is in the world that there is also so much goodness and so many beautiful, kind soul hearts out there too. That is what we need to see a focus on more and for a week that was all we saw! I hope and pray that we bring that feeling home with us and share it with others.
A huge thank you for this opportunity. We are so, so grateful to have been a part of it. We heard about it when we spoke to a social worker at the hospital about how to help our kids with their emotions and are so glad she mentioned it. I have already told everyone I know personally that has breast cancer about it and told them they need to sign up ASAP! 🙂