Family Retreat | Light Collective PNW

family information

Join us for our first-ever TLC Family Weekend Retreat! There's nothing better than a restful weekend geaway in a beautiful location (with a healthy dose of TLC hilarity, of course)!

WANT TO VOLUNTEER? Click here.

WHEN:

Friday, March 27 at 5:00pm - Sunday, March 29 at 2:00pm

WHERE:

Cascades Camp and Conference Center

22825 Peissner Rd SE, Yelm WA

(About one hour and 45 minutes south of Seattle)

WHAT:

A weekend of laughter, rest, and togetherness in a picturesque setting where families who have a child with cancer can make fun memories and connect with other families on the same journey. All activities are tailored for the families we serve with their safety, comfort, and enjoyment in mind. Our volunteer team will do everything we can to set the table for an awesome experience! The weekend will include family games, free time options, special gatherings just for parents, and more! Your child(ren) will be matched with one of our trained, screened, and supported Fun Finders to help them feel important and included all weekend long.

This event is offered FREE OF CHARGE for TLC families.

WHO:

This experience is offered to all active TLC families, as well as inactive families who graduated from Matchbox Day within the last three years. We will prioritize families who are on treatment or within two years of finishing.

WANT TO JOIN US? To get yourself on the list, please complete this short form.

SAFETY:

We want to be sure families feel safe at this event! Our TLC Medical Team will be on-site all weekend to support and advise about any medical issues that may arise. This team includes two Oncology Nurse Practitioners from Seattle Children's, and the Director of Nursing at Fred Hutch Cancer Center.

We will protect the safety of families and volunteers in the following ways:

HEALTH SCREENING: Upon arrival at the event, volunteers and TLC families will be asked to respond to a set of questions about any concerning physical symptoms you might be experiencing, and any known exposure to illness. We will also take your temperature.
VACCINATIONS: While vaccinations are not required for this event, we STRONGLY ENCOURAGE all participants to be up-to-date on all vaccinations, including Covid, Influenza, and Measles/MMR.
MASKS: Masks will be optional at this event. We will ask volunteers to be prepared to wear masks whenever they are in close proximity to families who may choose to wear masks.
CLEAN HANDS: We will have plenty of hand sanitizer and handwashing stations to maintain hand hygeine throughout the event.

MEDICAL REQUIREMENTS FOR FAMILIES:

ANC over 500
Transfusion independent (i.e. you cannot have a required transfusion planned for that weekend)
Consent form from your primary provider

All adult participants age 18+ will be asked to complete a national background check in order to attend (both TLC families and volunteers). There is no cost to you for this check.

FAQ:

Where will my family sleep?

Each family will have their own room/cabin with a private bathroom. Facilities are clean and well-kept. Check out Cascades housing on their website.

May I bring friends or extended family?

Sadly, we only have capacity to include immediate family living in your home (2 caregivers max).

What if my family cannot stay for the whole weekend?

We will prioritize families who can participate for the whole weekend. Let us know your needs and we'll see what is possible.

What will the food be like?

The food is delicious! Breakfast includes hot options plus an array of cereals and oatmeal, and lunch and dinner include a full salad bar with plenty of options for gluten free, vegetarian, and vegan diets.

What will we do all weekend?

Watch this video of our summer "Out of the Box" event for a small taste of what the Family Retreat Weekend will feel like. (Spolier alert: lots of joy!)