How a non-profit uses fly fishing retreats to help breast cancer patients and survivors

Casting for Recovery is using free fly fishing retreats to support women diagnosed with breast cancer, offering an alternative to traditional support programs that blends oncology guidance with time on the water. CBS News Texas profiles Madison Sawyer and two participants: Carolyn Craft, diagnosed in 2014 with triple-negative breast cancer after invasive carcinoma was found from pathology, and Ashley Gentry, diagnosed in April 2024 at age 33 with stage three triple-positive disease. Their treatments differed—Gentry had eight rounds of chemotherapy, a double mastectomy, radiation, and targeted chemo, while Craft underwent a double mastectomy followed by chemotherapy planning. Executive Director Susan Gaetz says the casting motion can aid physical recovery after mastectomy or radiation and also support emotional healing.