The Lighthouse Family Retreat provides seaside retreats for families living with childhood cancer. Retreats are held along the Florida panhandle between Destin and Panama City Beach. Families can apply to attend one of our upcoming retreats, scheduled annually from April to October. Each retreat, 10 to 12 families join a group of about 30 volunteers for the week of a lifetime!
Family Selection Guidelines for 2008
Children (18 years and younger) with cancer who are currently on therapy or have been off therapy for less than one year are eligible to attend The Lighthouse with their immediate family members who are living at home with them. (limited to 2 adults and siblings under 21) There is no cost to attend the retreat (housing, meals/snacks, and all program activities are included). Each retreat home usually houses 2-4 families. Each family will have their own bedroom(s) and bathroom facilities. Families and volunteers join each other for meals and activities at a central location.
Each family is responsible for transportation to and from the retreat. (including transportation to and from local airports when applicable)
Families are responsible for submitting a signed consent form to The Lighthouse so that The Lighthouse can obtain a recommendation/referral from your child’s oncology health care team.
Children must receive medical clearance from their oncologist. (Children should be in stable health and “feeling up to” participating in The Lighthouse program.) Families are responsible for submitting a signed consent form to The Lighthouse so that The Lighthouse can obtain medical clearance from your child’s oncology health care team.
Each family must abide by the guidelines of the organization and sign the waivers/consent forms to complete the application process. The unique bond of our “Lighthouse family” begins when we meet at check-in and the treasured memories multiply until our last “See ya laters.” Because we want to start and finish the retreat as together as a “Lighthouse family”, we expect all families to arrive during the specified check-in times and remain throughout the “See ya laters.”
While we hope that one day we will host enough retreats so that each family can return annually, currently the number of families we can serve is limited therefore we prioritize applications in this manner:: Initially, priority is given to applicants returning for a second retreat – assuming the child is currently on treatment or has been off therapy for less than one year. (Often it is difficult to experience all that The Lighthouse has to offer during the first retreat. So, we welcome back families who actively engaged in our program for a second trip to The Lighthouse.) Second priority is given to new applicants. We believe that it is important for the entire family to experience The Lighthouse together, so we give a higher priority to those whose entire immediate family can attend the retreat. Throughout the selection process, sensitivity is given to the child’s progression of illness and/or other related hardships.
Families who have children with specialized medical needs will be evaluated for acceptance on an individual basis.
All families are welcome – regardless of race, religious affiliation, financial status or geographical location.
