The Renewing Life Program and Women With Breast Cancer: A Report

Pathways: A Healing Center in Minneapolis Minnesota, received a Susan G. Komen grant to provide three Renewing LifeTM retreats at no cost for breast cancer survivors with limited income. Renewing Life is an intensive program for dealing with life challenges and is a signature program of the Pathways Center. The program focuses on communication skills, coping strategies, and life-affirming attitudes; it is offered either as a 9-week session, meeting 1 day a week as a group for 2-1/2 hours or as a retreat over 2-½ days (20 hours) at an overnight facility.

This report describes outcomes of a Renewing Life retreat focusing on perceived changes in well-being as well as behaviors in the management of breast cancer treatment. A mixed-methods approach was used in an effort to capture the unique experience of each woman in this group. Quantitative data using the Self-Assessment of Change measure was collected through a retrospective survey sent to each member following the Renewing Life program. Follow-up interviews were used to identify themes that spoke to the more intimate nature of their experiences, including perceived shifts in well-being and quality of life.

The use of a mixed methods approach (qualitative and quantitative data) to evaluating the outcomes perceived by a group of women with breast cancer after participating in a Renewing Life Retreat offers insights into the unique experience of these women.