Strength for the Journey Six Virtual Cancer Retreats 2026
Strength for the Journey Six Virtual Cancer Retreats with Dr Sharon May
Strength for the Journey is a six-part virtual retreat series for people facing cancer at any stage. Each gathering follows one of the six Become Your Best themes while speaking directly to the emotional, spiritual, relational, and practical realities of cancer.
These retreats are not about pretending to be fearless. They are about finding strength that is honest, rooted, compassionate, and real. Through guided reflection, research-informed coping tools, meaningful conversation, journaling prompts, and gentle spiritual encouragement, participants are invited to remember: Cancer may be part of your story, but it is not all of who you are. You are still becoming. You are still loved. You are still you.
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July 6, 2026 – Stay Rooted When Life Feels Uprooted
Strength for the Journey Theme: Stay Rooted in Your Faith and What Grounds You
Cancer can make life feel suddenly unstable. Appointments, scans, treatments, side effects, uncertainty, and changing plans can leave women feeling as though the ground beneath them has shifted. This retreat creates a gentle space to return to what still holds: faith, breath, prayer, scripture, values, trusted relationships, memories of strength, and the quiet presence of God.
This retreats helps participants identify what they can return to when they feel afraid, overwhelmed, tired, or alone.
Coaching Questions:
“What grounds me when I do not have answers?”
“What truth can I return to today?”
“What helps me feel held, even when I do not feel strong?”
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August 17, 2026 – My Story Is Still Mine
Strength for the Journey Theme: Examine Your Life Story & Inner Life
Cancer often becomes a major chapter in a person’s life story, but it is not the whole story. This retreat invites participants to gently examine the inner life of cancer: the fear, grief, anger, courage, tenderness, and questions that may not always have room to be spoken.
Through guided reflection and optional journaling, attendees will explore the difference between having cancer and being defined by cancer. The retreat helps participants honor what has been interrupted while also remembering what remains true about who they are. It gives space for honest emotions without forcing positivity or rushing toward acceptance.
Coaching Questions:
“What has cancer interrupted?”
“What has cancer revealed?”
“What part of me is still here, still mine, still untouched?”
“What do I wish people understood about my experience?”
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September 10, 2026 – Still Me: Choosing Who I Want to Be in This Season
Strength for the Journey Theme: Become Your Best Self Through Intentional Living
This retreat centers on one of the most powerful questions a person facing cancer can ask: Who do I want to be while I am in this?
Cancer can take away plans, routines, energy, independence, confidence, and a sense of control. But it cannot take away the deeper freedom Viktor Frankl described: the freedom to choose one’s attitude and one’s way of meeting life. This retreat explores values-based living — acting from what matters most, even when life feels hard and the body feels unreliable.
Coaching Questions:
“What do I most want to be known for — by myself and by the people I love — in this season?”
“What word feels most like the truest version of me?”
“What is one small way I can live toward that word this week?”
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October 5, 2026 – Letting Love Meet Me Here
Strength for the Journey Theme: Love Wholeheartedly
Cancer affects relationships. Some people show up beautifully. Some disappear. Some say the wrong thing. Some try to help but do not know how. Many people find themselves trying to protect everyone else emotionally while also carrying their own fear, pain, and exhaustion.
This retreat explores what it means to love and be loved in the middle of vulnerability. Participants will reflect on receiving help, asking for what they need, setting boundaries, having honest conversations, and allowing love to become simpler, more practical, and more present.
Coaching Questions:
“What kind of support actually helps me?”
“What am I tired of pretending is okay?”
“What conversation might bring more honesty, closeness, or relief?”
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November 2, 2026 – Wisdom for the Hard Days
Strength for the Journey Theme: Live Wisely & Resiliently
Some days require courage. Other days require wisdom. This retreat focuses on emotional steadiness, self-compassion, energy management, scanxiety, uncertainty, and practical resilience for the hard days of cancer.
Rather than defining resilience as “staying strong,” this retreat reframes resilience as learning how to return to yourself again and again. Participants will explore the difference between what is theirs to carry and what is not, how to respond to fear without being ruled by it, and how to make wise choices when energy is limited.
Coaching Questions:
“What does my body need from me today?”
“What helps me come back to myself when fear rises?”
“What is one kind thing I can do for myself this week?”
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December 7, 2026 – Meaning, Hope, and the Life Still in Front of You
Strength for the Journey Theme: Live with Purpose
Cancer often brings people face-to-face with the deepest questions: What matters now? What am I living for? What does hope mean when life feels uncertain? What legacy am I already leaving through the way I love?
This retreat is tender, honest, and meaning-centered. It does not define purpose as productivity. It does not define hope only as cure. Instead, it invites people to discover purpose in presence, love, courage, faith, beauty, gratitude, advocacy, relationships, and small acts of meaning.
Coaching Questions:
“What makes today meaningful, even if it is hard?”
“What kind of hope is still available to me?”
“What do I want to pass on — through my words, my presence, my faith, my courage, my tenderness?”
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Location: Online, Zoom link provided upon registration.
Cost: Free of charge
Limited Spots Available- Reserve Your Spot Today for Loving Well in Cancer
Stage4Hope’s partnership with Bear Shadow Featured in Recent Article from MusicFestNews.com
As excitement builds for the upcoming Bear Shadow Music Festival, Stage4Hope is honored to be featured in a recent article from MusicFestNews.com highlighting our partnership with Bear Shadow and the meaningful mission behind it.
The article, “Music with a Mission: Bear Shadow Joins Forces with Stage4Hope,” shines a spotlight on how music and purpose can come together to create real impact for individuals and families facing cancer. We are grateful to MusicFestNews.com for helping amplify our mission and supporting those fighting cancer with compassion, connection, and hope.
Stage4Hope Commits $2.5 Million to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center to Accelerate Breakthrough Cancer Research
Stage4Hope is proud to announce a $2.5 million multi-year research commitment to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK), one of the world’s premier cancer research and treatment institutions. This commitment will help accelerate groundbreaking research to expand treatment options and precision therapies, offering new hope to patients with advanced-stage cancers.
The funding will support translational cancer research led by Alexander Drilon, MD, Chief of the Early Drug Development Service at MSK and a leading investigator in precision oncology. Dr. Drilon’s work focuses on translating scientific discoveries into targeted therapies and advancing them through early-phase clinical trials for patients with cancers driven by specific genetic alterations.
“Support for translational research allows us to move discoveries from the laboratory into clinical trials where they can begin helping patients. We are grateful for Stage4Hope’s commitment to advancing this work and expanding the possibilities for people facing cancers driven by targetable genetic alterations,” said Dr. Drilon.
Since the beginning, Stage4Hope has been building partnerships with premier cancer institutions while expanding programs designed to remove barriers to accessing life-saving care. “This commitment reflects the mission at the heart of Stage4Hope,” Stage4Hope Founder Stacy Carter said. “We are working to accelerate access to the most advanced cancer care in the world, support the research that will shape the future of treatment, and walk alongside patients and families as they navigate one of the most difficult journeys of their lives.”
Through partnerships with leading cancer institutions like MSK, Stage4Hope works to accelerate patient access to specialized cancer care and clinical trials, helping individuals connect quickly with expert physicians and advanced treatment programs. We also provide travel assistance grants for patients who must travel to receive specialized care at premier cancer centers.
Access the full media release here >
To learn more about Stage4Hope’s partnership with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and how to support this work, visit: stage4hope.org/accelerating-access-to-life-saving-cancer-care.
Accelerating Access to Life-Saving Cancer Care
Donate to Cancer Patient Travel Assistance
Donate to help cancer patients access top treatment centers faster. Support travel, clinical trials, and life-saving care today.
A $2.5 Million Commitment Is Just the Beginning
Stage4Hope has committed $2.5 million to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center to advance breakthrough cancer research.
But for patients facing advanced cancer, breakthroughs only matter if they can reach them.
And too many patients never do.
❤️DONATE NOW
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The One Thing Patients with Advanced Cancer Want
More time.
More time to live.
More time with the people they love.
More time for treatments to be invented, approved, and then to work.
Because in advanced cancer, time is what creates options.
The best cancer care in the world exists at premiere hospitals like Memorial Sloan Kettering, MD Anderson and City of Hope.
But too many patients never get there in time.
Not because they don’t want to.
Because they can’t afford to travel.
Because access takes too long.
Because the system is hard to navigate when time matters most.
Stage4Hope exists to change that.
- We are building a network of cancer centers committed to faster access.
- We fund travel so patients can reach the care that could change their outcome.
- We invest in research to create new treatment options.
- And we provide professional mental health support to help patients hold on and keep fighting.
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Help Us Move Faster
We’ve committed millions to advancing the future of cancer treatment.
Now help us deliver that future to patients today.
Your support directly helps patients reach leading cancer centers sooner, access targeted therapies and clinical trials, and receive the emotional support they need along the way.
It turns waiting into action, and uncertainty into a clear path forward.
Every dollar helps a patient reach the right care when it matters most.
❤️DONATE NOW
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What Your Donation Does
Every dollar you give helps patients who cannot afford to wait.
The Real Outcome
Your donation will help a patient:
- Get to a premiere cancer center like Memorial Sloan Kettering, who can potentially save their life
- Connect with one of the best specialists in the country
• Access a clinical trial or the right treatment for their specific cancer
• Do it in days instead of weeks
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The Reality We’re Solving
Everyday matters when facing advanced cancer.
Faster access to the right care can mean more options, more time, and more hope for patients and their families.
By getting involved, you are helping ensure that more patients don’t have to navigate this journey alone—or wait longer than they should for the care that could change their outcome.
❤️DONATE NOW
Purchase Your Tickets for Bear Shadow 2026 & Support Stage4Hope
Bear Shadow Music Festival 2026 Tickets | Support Stage4Hope
Mark your calendars for May 29–31, 2026, and join us at Bear Shadow Music Festival for an unforgettable weekend of music, community, and purpose.
As Bear Shadow’s 2026 charity partner, Stage4Hope is honored to be part of this extraordinary event. Proceeds from Friday night’s benefit concert will go directly to Stage4Hope, helping bridge the critical gaps patients and families face after a late-stage cancer diagnosis, providing the support and resources needed most, when time matters most.
When you purchase your tickets to Bear Shadow 2026, you are doing more than attending a music festival. You are helping fund travel to advanced treatments, expand access to clinical trials, and accelerate research that brings hope to families facing advanced-stage cancer.
Be part of something bigger and support Stage4Hope at Bear Shadow. Purchase tickets >
Read the full story about Stage4Hope being featured in The Laurel Magazine and our partnership with the Bear Shadow Music Festival.
Stage4Hope Receives Grant Award from the Highlands Cashiers Health Foundation
Stage4Hope Receives $50K Grant from Highlands Cashiers Foundation
Stage4Hope is excited to announce that our organization has received a generous $50,000 grant award from the Highlands Cashiers Health Foundation in support of our initiative, Expanding Cancer Access & Support in Western NC: A Highlands-Based Initiative. We are deeply honored by the Foundation’s confidence in our mission and grateful for their partnership in helping cancer patients across Western North Carolina access timely care, hope, and healing.
We are extremely grateful for this opportunity as part of the Foundation’s 2025 Lift Grant. This opportunity will directly advance our work to establish a Highlands-based retreat center offering life-changing assistance to those facing advanced cancer diagnoses. Their investment brings us closer to ensuring that patients in rural communities have the same access to specialized treatment and compassionate support as those in major medical centers.
On behalf of our team, board members, and advisors, we sincerely appreciate the support from the Highlands Cashiers Health Foundation and look forward to continuing our partnership in bringing hope to advanced cancer patients and their families.
More Grant News: Learn more about our Cancer Travel Expense Grants for Stage 3 & 4 Patients.
Meet Dr. Sharon May
Meet Dr. Sharon May: The Trusted Guide Behind Stage4Hope Retreats
When you’re facing a Stage 4 cancer diagnosis, who leads you matters.
Not just their kindness — but their depth, training, experience, and ability to hold space when emotions are raw and life feels uncertain. At Stage4Hope, our retreats are led by Dr. Sharon May, a therapist, educator, and nationally respected voice in emotional healing and relational care.
Dr. May doesn’t simply facilitate conversations. She brings decades of clinical expertise and human wisdom into a space designed for people navigating one of the hardest moments of their lives.
A Foundation of Clinical Excellence
Dr. May holds a Ph.D. in Marriage and Family Therapy and a Master’s degree in Theology from Fuller Graduate School of Theology, grounding her work in both evidence-based psychology and deep understanding of meaning, identity, and emotional resilience.
She is a licensed therapist and a Certified Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) Therapist and Supervisor, trained in one of the most research-validated therapeutic models for emotional regulation, attachment, and secure connection. EFT is widely recognized for helping people manage fear, grief, and relational disruption — all central experiences for those facing advanced cancer.
Her academic research and doctoral work focused on attachment theory and emotional bonding, exploring how people find safety, steadiness, and connection during times of crisis. This research-informed foundation shapes every retreat she leads.
Leadership, Teaching, and National Influence
Dr. May is the Founder and President of Safe Haven Relationship Center, where she has spent years developing therapeutic curriculum, training clinicians, and guiding individuals and families through trauma, loss, and major life transitions.
She also serves on the Executive Board of the American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC), reflecting her standing as a trusted leader within the counseling profession.
In addition to her clinical practice, Dr. May is an adjunct professor who has taught counseling and therapy courses, helping shape the next generation of clinicians. She is also a frequent national speaker, presenting workshops and trainings across the U.S. and internationally.
Many people may recognize her from radio and television appearances, including Focus on the Family, Family Talk, Life Today, and her own program Arguing with Dr. Sharon. She is also the author of two books on emotional connection and communication, extending her reach well beyond the therapy room.
Why This Matters for Stage4Hope Retreats
Credentials matter — but how they translate into care matters more.
Dr. May brings all of this experience into Stage4Hope retreats with a grounded, human approach. She creates spaces that feel safe, steady, and deeply respectful. Participants are never pressured to share. Silence is welcome. Listening is participation.
In retreats like Still Me, Dr. May guides participants through:
- Grounding practices that calm racing thoughts and emotional overwhelm
- Reflection and journaling that help process shock and fear
- Gentle guidance on communicating with loved ones and setting boundaries
- Group connection rooted in dignity, confidentiality, and understanding
- Identity-centered reflection that honors the person beyond the diagnosis
This is not surface-level support. It is carefully facilitated emotional care led by someone who understands both the science of healing and the humanity of suffering.
A Guide You Can Trust
People come to Stage4Hope retreats for support — and they stay because they feel seen.
Dr. Sharon May brings credibility, calm, and compassion into every retreat she leads. Her presence reassures participants that they are in capable hands — guided by someone who understands trauma, connection, fear, hope, and the complexity of being human in the face of cancer.
That trust is everything.
If you are seeking a retreat led by a therapist with true depth, experience, and heart, you will find it here.
Stage4Hope Launches to Transform Advanced-Stage Cancer Care
Stage4Hope Launches to Support Patients with Cancer
Stage4Hope™, a new 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded by stage IV lung cancer patient Stacy L. Carter, launches to accelerate access to expert cancer care, provide emotional and financial support, and advance precision oncology research.
We are pleased to announce the official launch of Stage4HopeTM, a 501(c)(3) public charity! We have a powerful mission: to improve the lives of individuals diagnosed with advanced-stage cancer by accelerating access to world-class cancer care, providing financial and emotional support, and investing in cutting-edge research in precision oncology.
Founded by Stacy L. Carter—a mother, entrepreneur, and non-smoker diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer in 2023—Stage4Hope was born out of her own journey and the urgent need to bring hope, clarity, and purpose to others facing similar diagnoses.
“I started Stage4Hope because I know what it’s like to hear the words ‘stage IV’ and to have my whole world fall apart,” says Stacy. “What carried me forward was finding purpose in the midst of the pain. Now, we’re building a place where patients can access expert care quickly, find emotional healing, and rediscover hope and purpose—even in the middle of the storm.”
Read more by downloading the media release>
News: Explore Our Website
We are proud to launch our new website—Stage4hope.org—an informative space created to support individuals living with advanced-stage cancer.
Stage4Hope is accelerating your path to world-class cancer care by removing barriers, offering connection, and walking alongside you with dignity and support.
From no-cost retreats and informative resources to financial assistance and clinical trial guidance, our site provides tools that help patients and families navigate this journey with greater clarity and care.
At the heart of everything we do is a belief worth repeating:
“Our vision is to show those living with advanced-stage cancer that life doesn’t end with a diagnosis. There is still hope. There is still purpose. And there is still a life worth living.”
We invite you to explore the new website, share it with others, and return often as we grow our services and community.
Ferngrove Stays: Arriving 2027
Coming in 2027, Ferngrove will offer a serene sanctuary for individuals facing advanced-stage cancer—nestled just outside the vibrant town of Highlands, North Carolina. Renowned for its world-class hospitality, Highlands is home to two of the nation’s top 10 bed-and-breakfasts, alongside a charming downtown filled with exceptional restaurants, galleries, and boutique shops—all just five minutes from the stillness of Ferngrove.
Guests will stay at no cost in thoughtfully designed private cottages, each with sweeping mountain views and calming forest surroundings. These cottages feature open, vaulted living spaces with cozy fireplaces, designer kitchens, and spa-inspired baths complete with soaking tubs, walk-in showers, and private decks overlooking the national forest.
Ferngrove will offer a quiet peacefulness—a place to think, reflect, and simply breathe. Here, the noise of treatment and uncertainty can begin to fade, and healing can start with stillness. Stays will be flexible and self-guided, with optional offerings such as emotional health sessions, integrative wellness tools, and a signature six-week guided program focused on processing grief and building resilience.
Check back soon for photos and more information as we prepare to welcome our first guests in 2027.
