Skip to main content
The Oncofertility Consortium

The Oncofertility Consortium

Search Open menu

Search form

NOTICE:

Ownership of this website has been transferred from Northwestern University to Michigan State University.
Please note that some site information may be inaccurate while adjustments to reflect this organizational change are made.

Onco_Main_Menu

  • About
    • Find out more about the Oncofertility Consortium

      More
      Dr. Teresa K. Woodruff
      Oncofertility Professional Engagement Network
      Contact Us
  • Resource Browser
    • Explore resources for patients, physicians and educators

      More
      For Health Care Professionals
      For Researchers
      For OPEN Members
      For Patients
      For Educators
      For Global Partners
  • News
    • The latest from the Oncofertility Consortium

      More
      Newsletter
      Events
  • Find a Clinic / Center
  • Dialogues
    • Explore Dialogues in Oncofertility

      More
      About Dialogues in Oncofertility
      Guide for Authors
      Submit

You are here

  1. Home
  2. » Blog
  3. » 2011

Blog Archive: February 2011

List
Visual

True North Treks Hikes Into Cancer Survivorship

February 25, 2011
adk121

First Trek in Northern Montana

Oftentimes young adult cancer survivors are referred to as being “lost in transition” when they finish treatment and enter survivorship. Important life events, milestones, and decisions such as fertility that many of us experience are either significantly interrupted or abandoned as a result of their diagnosis and treatment. Dr. David Victorson, Assistant Professor in Medical Social Sciences and Institute for Healthcare Studies here at Northwestern University had been working with young adult cancer patients and was profoundly moved by their experience. It encouraged him to create True North Treks, an organization founded to support young adult cancer survivors during the transition from patient to survivor through experiential treks in nature where mindful awareness practices and outdoor survival skills are taught.

Recently I had an opportunity to talk with Melanie, the program director for True North Treks, about the organization. If anyone can relate to the participants of True North Treks, Melanie is certainly that person.  In 2004 at the age of 24, she was diagnosed with papillary thyroid carcinoma and underwent two rounds of radioactive iodine treatment and multiple surgeries for cancerous lymph nodes.  She found Dr. Victorson through the web community of young adult cancer survivors and shortly thereafter became the program director as well as an expedition leader for True North Treks. I asked her what she thought cancer survivors could gain from this type of experience and she replied, “Cancer can be so disruptive and rock you to the core of who you think you are so being able to trust your own body again and push yourself physically is really powerful.”  Further discussion proved the treks are designed to do exactly this.

A trek is made up of 6 to 8 participants who hike out to picturesque, but relatively isolated areas that are appropriate for the participant’s physical capacity.  Many of the survivors struggle with the late effects of cancer including reduced lung capacity so it’s important that the treks are challenging, but accessible.  While on the trek, they’re taught outdoor survival skills, mindful awareness, and they get to spend time with other young survivors who can sympathize with their experience.  Frequently with a cancer diagnosis comes a fear of the unknown - not knowing what’s going to happen next, but for Melanie, this is exactly why True North Treks is a great fit for a young cancer survivor.  She says, “We want them to be confident in their skills and really embrace the experience without the fear of being in an unknown environment. A lot of what we talk about on the trek is managing the unknown and finding different ways to embrace that in positive ways rather than being thrown off by it.”

To learn more about True North Treks, including how to sign up for their next expedition to the Olympic Peninsula September 9-14th, please visit www.truenorthtreks.org.

Categories: 

  • General

Tags: 

  • Advocate, quality of life

Who Makes Fertility Decisions in Pediatric Cancer Patients?

February 23, 2011
adk121

Treating Infertility in Developing Countries

February 18, 2011
adk121

National Growth of Oncofertility Informal Science Education

February 17, 2011
pkt551

Catholicism and Fertility Preservation – Evolving Together

February 16, 2011
adk121

Surrogacy: An Important Fertility Preservation Option for Cancer Survivors

February 11, 2011
adk121

Brain Tumor Community Rallies Around Website

February 9, 2011
pkt551

Late Effects of Cancer Treatment: Infertility and More

February 8, 2011
pkt551

Fertility, Femininity, and Cancer

February 4, 2011
adk121

Fertility Research: Standing on the Shoulders of John Rock

February 2, 2011
pkt551

Subscribe for Email Updates

Categories

  • Advocate (73)
  • Cancer (206)
  • Children (32)
  • Cme (5)
  • Communication (16)
  • Conferences (146)
  • Education (90)
  • Ethics (27)
  • Fertility (119)
  • Fertility Preservation (335)
  • General (353)
  • Global Partner (69)
  • In The News (136)
  • Introductions (46)
  • Meetings (78)
  • National Physicians Cooperative (40)
  • Oncofertility (354)
  • Oncofertility Saturday Academy (27)
  • Patient Stories (28)
  • Publication (27)
  • Research (176)
  • Science (44)
  • Virtual Grand Rounds (20)

Blog

  • June 2019 (1)
  • May 2019 (1)
  • April 2019 (1)
  • March 2019 (1)
  • October 2018 (11)
  • September 2018 (5)
  • August 2018 (3)
  • June 2018 (2)
  • May 2018 (1)
  • April 2018 (4)
  • March 2018 (1)
  • February 2018 (6)
  • January 2018 (5)
  • December 2017 (3)
  • November 2017 (2)
  • October 2017 (3)
  • September 2017 (1)
  • August 2017 (1)
  • July 2017 (8)
  • June 2017 (8)
  • May 2017 (5)
  • April 2017 (1)
  • March 2017 (5)
  • February 2017 (6)
  • January 2017 (6)
  • December 2016 (6)
  • November 2016 (5)
  • October 2016 (2)
  • September 2016 (2)
  • July 2016 (5)
  • June 2016 (10)
  • May 2016 (8)
  • April 2016 (14)
  • March 2016 (14)
  • February 2016 (14)
  • January 2016 (2)
  • November 2015 (27)
  • October 2015 (15)
  • September 2015 (5)
  • August 2015 (2)
  • July 2015 (2)
  • June 2015 (1)
  • May 2015 (3)
  • April 2015 (5)
  • March 2015 (3)
  • February 2015 (5)
  • January 2015 (2)
  • December 2014 (1)
  • November 2014 (2)
  • October 2014 (3)
  • September 2014 (2)
  • August 2014 (4)
  • July 2014 (4)
  • June 2014 (6)
  • May 2014 (8)
  • April 2014 (4)
  • March 2014 (5)
  • February 2014 (7)
  • January 2014 (3)
  • December 2013 (3)
  • November 2013 (5)
  • October 2013 (7)
  • September 2013 (2)
  • August 2013 (2)
  • July 2013 (4)
  • June 2013 (8)
  • May 2013 (7)
  • April 2013 (7)
  • March 2013 (4)
  • February 2013 (6)
  • January 2013 (4)
  • December 2012 (5)
  • November 2012 (5)
  • October 2012 (11)
  • September 2012 (10)
  • August 2012 (13)
  • July 2012 (8)
  • June 2012 (9)
  • May 2012 (11)
  • April 2012 (10)
  • March 2012 (16)
  • February 2012 (10)
  • January 2012 (13)
  • December 2011 (9)
  • November 2011 (9)
  • October 2011 (11)
  • September 2011 (7)
  • August 2011 (12)
  • July 2011 (10)
  • June 2011 (10)
  • May 2011 (9)
  • April 2011 (9)
  • March 2011 (12)
  • February 2011 (10)
  • January 2011 (10)
  • December 2010 (8)
  • November 2010 (11)
  • October 2010 (13)
  • September 2010 (6)
  • August 2010 (14)
  • July 2010 (15)
  • June 2010 (9)
  • May 2010 (6)
  • April 2010 (4)
  • March 2010 (3)
  • February 2010 (2)
  • January 2010 (7)
  • December 2009 (1)
  • November 2009 (10)
  • October 2009 (8)
  • September 2009 (7)
  • August 2009 (7)
  • July 2009 (27)
  • June 2009 (14)
  • May 2009 (13)
  • April 2009 (3)
  • March 2009 (4)
  • February 2009 (7)

Disclaimer

The contents of the Oncofertility Consortium Blog are for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

Oncofertility Consortium
 
Michigan State University

 

Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology

965 Wilson Road, Room A626B
East Lansing, MI 48824-1316

Phone: (517) 884 8848

Email: oncofert@msu.edu

  • Contact Information |
  • Site Map |
  • Privacy Statement |
  • Site Accessibility
  • Call MSU: (517) 355-1855 |
  • Visit: msu.edu |
  • MSU is an affimative-action, equal-opportunity employer. |
  • Notice of Nondiscrimination
  • SPARTANS WILL. |
  • © Michigan State University