Breast cancer survivors and their families enjoy beach retreat in Oak Island

BRUNSWICK COUNTY (WWAY) — All this week, breast cancer survivors and their families have enjoyed a beach retreat in Oak Island with the help of Little Pink Houses of Hope.

13 families are part of the retreat, with each family staying at a beach house that was donated for use by the owners. Kimberly Tunstall beat cancer last October, and says this week is more than just spending time relaxing.

“Finishing treatment and, this is, for me, it’s like a celebratory, little, retreat, vacation, family vacation. The fact that you can do it with your family is different. You need to bond and just definitely grateful for Little Pink Houses,” said Tunstall.

Along with spending time at the beach, the families will go out kayaking, take a trip to the aquarium and other fun activities. Jody Carroll, the retreat’s director, says it’s amazing to see how the survivors react to being a part of the retreat.

“You know, the expressions on their faces when they get to do something that they’ve never ever thought they would be able to do, never thought they could do. So, there’s some people here today, this week that have never seen the ocean before, so that was pretty amazing to watch,” said Carroll.

The women say it isn’t just the activities that help make them feel normal. It’s being surrounded by other survivors who all know what each of them have been through.

“There’s a connection that you can’t even describe cause you’ve already, you already know what they’ve gone through. Even though everybody’s cancer journey is a little bit different, but it’s still the same. It’s so, so, universal once you’ve been through this so once you’ve made a pink sister, you just automatically just become one,” said Stephanie Hileman, a cancer survivor.

If you want to donate or find out more about Little Pink Houses of Hope, you can do so here.