Reel Recovery

[Wayne SW/MO]

I've been to St Louis U.and I'm being evaluated for one. I'm leaning that way if the evaluation is positive, but I can't help but have some reservations. I'm in remission from Multiple Myeloma. I also have CLL, but it hasn't really become a problem in the 8 years since I was diagnosed with it.

[Wheatenheimer]

My heart goes out for you Brother! Hang in there and let me know if there is anything I can do.

Kevin

[et84]

I've been to St Louis U.and I'm being evaluated for one. I'm leaning that way if the evaluation is positive, but I can't help but have some reservations. I'm in remission from Multiple Myeloma. I also have CLL, but it hasn't really become a problem in the 8 years since I was diagnosed with it.

Barnes Hospital in STL is where I go (on the Washington University Campus). My primary doctor is the head of the stem cell/ bone marrow transplant unit- Amanda Cashen. Are you going to be using your own stem cells (autologous), or a donor's (allogeneic)? I used mine at first, but it didn't work, as my stem cells were too messed up from all the chemo. The second time I used my brother's cells. I was lucky he was a 99% match- the doctors said the only way to get a 100% match is from an identical twin. His cells were strong- they worked, but since they're not my own stem cells my immune system treats them like an infection, and tries to fight them off. It's called GVHD (Graft-Versus-Host Disease). It's something everyone who receives an allogeneic transplant has to deal with, and it effects everyone differently, but usually involves dry skin/ eyes. No doubt the transplants are not fun- if you have one you'll be in the hospital for about a month, and won't be able to go out in public w/o a mask for about 3 months after that, but it's well worth it. I hope everything works out for you- you are in good hands in STL. I met people who came from all over the country just to get a transplant there. Best wishes!!

[Wayne SW/MO]

The plan is for me is the autologous route. My chemo was more of an inhibitor, as opposed to a poison.

[Zack Hoyt]

Reel Recovery

Retreat for cancer survivors hooks participants on fly fishing

By Buddy Gough

Thursday, October 29, 2009

NORFORK - Fly fishing is good - and good for you - was the lesson learned by a special group of men angling for trout Saturday below Norfork Dam.

While wielding fly tackle with skill and success boosted their personal confidence, the camaraderie shared also proved to be a healing experience for the participants in a Reel Recovery retreat, a program designed to help men recover from their battles with cancer.

The retreat was the first to be held in Arkansas. Reel Recovery was founded in 2003 in Denver.

Since then, 72 weekend retreats in eight states have been attended by more than 800 men. Notably, two of the three founders - Jim Cloud and Coy Teobalt - are Hot Springs natives.

The 15 men fishing the Norfork tailwaters Saturday each received "scholarships" to attend the retreat at no cost, including a stay at Cedarwood Lodge near Flippin, along with the provision of fly-fishing gear and the attentive assistance of volunteer instructors and guides.

They ranged in age from 25 to 83 and hailed from eight states. Two were from Bella Vista and others from Colorado, Georgia, Kansas, Mississippi, Missouri, Tennessee and Texas. Only one claimed to be a proficient fly fisher.

The scholarships were the result of fundraising efforts of fly-fishing guide Ken Richards of Bentonville. While battling Stage 4 throat cancer, Richards attended a Reel Recovery retreat in Indiana and found the program so helpful that he became determined to bring it to Arkansas.

Richards set out to garner the necessary funding of about $14,000 with fundraising floats dubbed "The Whole Durn Thing," which involved floating the Buffalo River from Ponca to Buffalo City and the Kings River from Marble to the Romp Hole Access.

After completing the combined distance of nearly 250 miles, he received further funding assistance from Beaver Dam Store and the Bella Vista Fly Tyers fly-fishing club. He also lined up his fly-fishing friends to act as "fishing bud-dies" for each participant.

CONGENIAL FISHING

The cancer survivors arrived Friday at Cedarwood Lodge, where training and support sessions would be held and where they expected to fly fish in the White River flowing past the lodge. However, high water caused the switch to the Norfork tailwaters, where low-flow conditions prevailed Saturday morning.

With low temperatures and the hills ablaze in fall colors under bright sun and blue skies, the men couldn't have asked for a more beautiful day to sample fly fishing in a premier Ozarks trout stream.

By noon, many of the Reel Recovery participants were paired with their guides and strung out in midstream, fishing away.

As they cast and mended their fly lines and intently watched their strike indicators for hits on a variety of sinking flies, it was clear they had already acquired the basic skills of fly fishing.

It also was obvious the fishing action was slow, but that would change considerably in the afternoon.

Attentively watching the group from the bank, Richards noted, "The main thing is that they're not thinking about their cancers right now."

In fact, they didn't seem to be thinking about anything except enjoying themselves and the companionship of their newly acquired friends when they gathered for lunch in a convivial mood. Noticeable among the attire worn by each survivor were "legacy" fly-fishing vests with backs bearing many signatures of previous Reel Recovery participants.

One of the most enthusiastic fly fishers around the lunch table was Tom Carbanes of Bella Vista, who also happened to be the oldest at age 83. Although an infrequent user of fly tackle, he has been an avid fisherman for most of his life and is well known in Bella Vista for his monthly television show named Tom Talks Fishing.

"This is a heckuva bunch of congenial guys," Carbanes said.

Halfway through the retreat, he was most impressed with the sharing sessions.

"Oh man, you should have heard some of the sessions we've had; it's unreal how inspiring they've been,"Carbanes continued. "Another thing I've noticed is how many have made spiritual type comments."

Being somewhat mobility-impaired, he had had the privilege of fishing nearby Dry Run Creek with Eric Olsen of Bella Vista, who was similarly impaired and probably the second-oldest cancer survivor in the group.

The little creek flowing out of the Norfork National Fish Hatchery is famous for harboring hordes of trout to huge sizes, but it's a hot spot reserved exclusively for youngsters under 16 and the handicapped.

Naturally, I trailed after Carbanes and Olsen when they returned to the creek after lunch with the certaintyof photographing fishing action.

With Dan Ditzler of Mount Vernon, Mo., assisting Carbanes and Wayne Patton of Bella Vista pairing with Olsen, the men set up to fish below a scenic waterfall.

Before wading into the stream to begin casting, Olsen noted that his wife had encouraged him to apply for the Reel Recovery after she attended a retreat offered by the well-known Casting for Recovery program for female cancer survivors.

Carbanes got into the action when he hooked a rainbow trout on his first cast - and the next, and the next, and so on.

"That's number 16," he bragged at one point.

Under Patton's guidance, Olsen was targeting a big trout seen in the swifter water below the waterfall but was regularly hooking smaller ones in the process.

Their genuine smiles suggested that their health problems were far from their minds.

REPEAT PROGNOSIS

Contacted Monday morning, Richards said the cancer survivors had enjoyed good success in the Norfork tailwaters Saturday afternoon.

"Everybody caught fish, and there were several guys who really tore them up," he said. "There were two guys who only lacked catching a brook trout to have a grand slam of all four species of trout in the river."

Richards also was pleased with the favorable reviews from the cancer survivors and Reel Recovery officials.

"From the comments of everybody, it came out fantastic," he said. "Plans are being considered to hold another one next year and possibly a second one [in 2010] as well."

He also was surprised with a parting gift from the owners of Cedarwood Lodge.

"Ken and Mary Ann Green shocked us all at the last minute when they donated the entire cost of using their lodge for the weekend," Richard said.

Sharing the joy of fishing, it seems, is catching.

Outdoors, Pages 29 on 10/29/2009