Casting the rod for cancer

A THREE-DAY fishing retreat took place in Ballarat and surrounds this week in support of men’s cancer.

The free program, called Reel Recovery and run by Mending Casts, invited 12 cancer-diagnosed men to cast their rod out.

Mending Casts president John Billing said it’s about offering people a break from their daily challenges.

“The purpose of Reel Recovery is to try and give these guys a respite from their day-to-day cancer journey,” he said.

“It’s proven with fly fishing that the motion of it and the action of casting the rod is a way of helping people escape those challenges.

“Being in nature in a pristine environment, you’re solely focused on fishing and everything melts into the background, so it’s very important for mental health.”

The annual program ran from Monday to Wednesday and included fly fishing at Lake Wendouree and at Millbrook Lakes.

Participants visited from across the country with most registered via the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre.

Mending Casts also hosts a Casting for Recovery program which offers a similar retreat for women diagnosed with breast cancer.

The organisation was established in 2019 to deliver the United States-established initiative.

Somerville resident Rory Putko was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2006 and took part in the retreat.

He said the event provided a great way to connect with people in similar situations while enjoying a day on the lake.

“Fishing’s always been a good way to clear my mind and focus on the task at hand. I hadn’t fly fished before so this was a good opportunity,” he said.

“We’re all suffering a bit here, so it’s been good to have those courageous conversations too. We all discuss treatments we’ve had, what we’ve gone through.”