Nurse practitioner Abigail Ciampa (center) with Health City team members (l-r) Kiffra Codner, Rebekah Anne Brooks, Emilie Edgington, and Rebecca Walcott-Romany

Health City Cayman Islands welcomed survivors for a day of healing and hope as it launched its inaugural Cancer Survivors Wellness Retreat last month, featuring a leading expert from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

Through its corporate social responsibility initiative, Health City Cares, the hospital hosted the full-day program at VIDA Cayman Islands in West Bay, creating a supportive oceanfront environment for cancer survivors to focus on wellness, connection and life beyond treatment.

Guest speaker Abigail Ciampa, a nurse practitioner with Dana-Farber’s Adult Survivorship Program Care Team in Boston, presented “Living Well Beyond a Cancer Diagnosis: Understanding Survivorship.” The session was tailored specifically for survivors and caregivers. The previous evening, Ciampa delivered a more clinically focused version of the presentation during a continuing medical education session for Health City nurses.

“Cancer treatment or a diagnosis is a journey, and … you need people who walk along with you even well after you finish your treatment,” said Dr. Vineetha Binoy, Senior Medical Oncology Specialist at Health City Cayman Islands. “That’s what we are aspiring to provide.”

Breast cancer survivor Brooklyn Montgomery, who attended the retreat, said Health City has been central to her care journey. “I’m here after healing from stage two breast cancer,” she said. “Health City was my go-to. All the doctors were amazing, so I figured I should follow suit and come see what they’ve got to offer here.”

The program featured gentle movement and mindfulness, survivorship education, nourishing food, a relaxing sound bath and reflective stations. Organizers highlighted the strong community presence with participation from key partners and Health City’s own clinical team.

“I really want people to know that there’s a community there for them,” said Rebekah Brooks, Health City’s Head of Marketing and Sales. “There’s not only Health City — we’ve had the Breast Cancer Foundation here today, the Cancer Society members have been here today, our nurses. We’re all here for our patients. I just want them to go home feeling really special and [know] that they are really loved as well.”

The retreat directly supports the mission of Health City Cares which focuses on extending care beyond the hospital through wellness initiatives, education, and community partnerships that help patients and families thrive long after treatment.

With more than 75 percent of U.S. cancer survivors over age 60 and more than half over age 70, such targeted wellness programming is increasingly important, organizers noted.

Health City Cayman Islands said it plans to offer additional survivor-focused wellness events in the future.