By Luke Voogt
An Anglesea retreat – which organisers called the first of its kind – hosted men affected by brain cancer from around Australia last weekend.
Organisor Bec Picone said it was humbling to know some of the men would “not make it to the next retreat”.
“A lot of the guys said they hadn’t seen their brother or father smile or laugh so much for a long time. It was really moving, and I’ve been around people with brain cancer a lot for the last few years.”
The men indulged in beer tasting, gourmet food, golf, laser strike, four-wheel driving, fishing, canoeing and more.
“But funnily enough,” Ms Picone said, “the highlight of the whole trip was a couple of beers and a pack of Uno.”
“They were playing until midnight and had a fantastic time. The caravan park people had to tell them to shut up!”
The group included a father from Tasmania with a very poor prognosis and his son, Ms Picone said.
“They spent some really good quality time together. It was such an intimate group of guys.”
Ms Picone said the retreat was the first in the country for men with brain cancer or who have loved ones with the disease.
“There are lots of brain cancer research charities but there’s very little in the way of direct support for the families going through it.”
“It was small compared to our women’s retreat last year.”
Ms Picone and her brother Clinton founded the Peace of Mind foundation in 2013 after the disease killed his wife.
The foundation has given more than $70,000 in grants to 60 Geelong families with brain-cancer victims.
Another 200 families have benefitted from its support services.
“Because of us running these retreats we’re reaching a lot more people outside of the local area,” Ms Picone said.
She reached out to the men through her network of hospitals.
The foundation is 100 per cent volunteer-run, including Ms Picone, a single mother who teaches singing on the side.
“Weekends like this prove that it’s worth it,” she said.
Ms Picone thanked the Anglesea Beachfront Cavaran Park, along with volunteers and businesses from Geelong and the Surf Coast, who donated time, money and discounted prices.
