I Went on a Luxury Breast Cancer Retreat

At first I didn't want to go

I lay on a table, stark naked, while two women rubbed warm herbal oil all over my body, their movements synchronized. I kept my eyes closed, trying to ignore the fact that every bit of me was exposed.

It was Day 3 of a weeklong retreat in Greece for women who had gone through cancer. The room was candlelit, perfumed by wisps of incense. My mastectomy scar was on full display. Up until now, no one but my family and doctors had seen it.

And then I realized something. After months of grueling cancer treatment, a time when my body had been cut, injected, scanned, and pumped with medication, this was the first time I had been so lovingly and attentively touched. For a full hour, two women, one of whom had had breast cancer herself, were putting all their energy into simply making me feel good.

Marinated in oil, I left the room and blinked at the bright sunlight glittering on the sea.

A year before I had been lying under the radiation machine. Now I was here, doing yoga, meditating, napping, eating fresh vegetarian food, and having my body oiled.

Sounds like heaven, right? But here’s the thing: At first, I really didn’t want to go.