In Memoriam: Merica Hale . We honor her memory and are grateful she shared her story.
Updated October 2020
鈥淚 was 37 when I was first diagnosed with breast cancer,鈥 says Merica Hale, a wife, mother of two, and full-time laboratory manager at the University of Utah School of Medicine. 鈥淪urgeries and treatment were hard. My emotional healing was harder,鈥 she says.
Adjusting to life after a cancer diagnosis is anything but easy. Everyone copes in different ways. It鈥檚 important to remember that feelings of grief and distress are normal responses to the loss of health, whether it is your own or that of someone you love. It may help to view grief as a process鈥攆eelings of shock, disbelief, longing, anger, sadness, and acceptance that ebb and flow. While the process may be ongoing, there are healthy and lasting ways to work through trying times. Support groups and special retreats are helpful for many people with cancer.
鈥淐ancer can be a very isolating disease. Connecting with other cancer patients online or in an in-person support group can decrease isolation, provide additional support, and help reduce stress,鈥 says Lisa Gauchay, MSW, LCSW, social worker with the Patient and Family Support team at Huntsman Cancer Institute (HCI). Gauchay currently runs a support group for women with metastatic breast cancer at HCI and also refers women with breast cancer to support resources in the community. She suggested that Merica attend one such resource, a no-cost weekend retreat called in Park City, Utah, specifically for women with breast cancer.
鈥淚 attended my first Image Reborn retreat unsure of what to expect, unsure of myself,鈥 Merica says. 鈥淲hat I found is that the retreat offered an opportunity to be pampered without worry. A chance to relax and to meet women going through the same things, ask questions, and offer each other support.鈥
This type of social support and self-care can be fundamental to emotional healing. 鈥淚n my experience of running a few different breast cancer support groups over the years, I have seen many lasting friendships form,鈥 Gauchay says.
That was true for Merica and the women she met. 鈥淭he weekend retreat, away from everything in a healing and relaxed environment, meant I could be part of a supportive and loving group as well as indulge in time for me,鈥 she says.