It's not the kind of club you want to join, but its members are certainly making the most of it. Picture a four-day summer camp style-summit where people from all walks of the breast and gynecologic cancer community come to rekindle their joy and forge lifelong connections. Participants travel across the country, sleep in cabins, and celebrate all weekend long at an event that sold out in less than 24 hours. It's a total vibe and also totally unique, helping survivors, pre-vivors, and caregivers alike find some much needed community. This is Camp Breastie.
It all started in 2017 when Paige More learned she carried the BRCA1 gene mutation. She debated whether to undergo a preventative double mastectomy, scouring the internet for support. "I was very scared and searching online for resources — or at least other people that had gone through this," More says. "I desperately needed somebody that I could look to." Unfortunately, she kept coming up short.
When More finally decided to go through with the surgery, she made a conscious choice to post about it on social media. At first, she just wanted to be someone people could look to — especially her younger sister, who had yet to do any genetic testing. But her videos quickly gained steam within the breast cancer community.
"When I started sharing my story, I ended up connecting with tens, then hundreds, then thousands of other people going through this. And it wasn't just pre-vivors like me — someone who had a preventative mastectomy — but [also] survivors and those with Stage 4 and caregivers," More says. Among the people she connected with were eventual Camp Breastie cofounders Allie Brumel, Trish Michelle, and Bri Majsiak.
"It was all very serendipitous how we all got connected. It was this domino effect," Majsiak says. The four saw how badly the community wanted to connect, and decided to create a space for that to happen. "Paige started organizing these events in New York, and so many people were resonating and coming [to the point] where we were constantly staying well past our allotted time," Majsiak says.
After seeing how successful these local meetups were, the group planned their first retreat: a weekend in the Poconos. At first it was just 10 pre-vivors (like More and Majsiak) and 10 survivors (like Brumel and Michelle). "We got ski tickets donated, and we just had the best time," Brumel says. "When we came home, there were just so many messages from other Breasties being like, 'When's the next retreat? How can I come?'"
"Hey, what if we rented out a summer camp?"
Realizing they had already outgrown their one-off ski retreat, the group decided to think bigger. They applied for nonprofit status in 2018 and did five retreats their first year . . . then 10 the next. Still, the waitlist continued to grow. "We were like, 'Hey, what if we rented out a summer camp?' — 500 people will fit," Brumel says. And just like that, Camp Breastie was born.
Back in 2019, Camp Breastie took a few weeks to sell out. This year, it reached full capacity in less than two hours. So what is it about this retreat in particular that feels so special? And if you're planning on attending, what can you expect from a weekend at Camp Breastie? Here's what to know.
With almost 200 programs to choose from, it's hard to describe a "typical weekend" at Camp Breastie. More calls it a "pick your own adventure." After you get off the bus and find your designated cabin, you can choose to attend discussion panels (hosted by breast cancer researchers and members of the community). Or maybe you'll start the morning off with a cold plunge, a swim in the lake, or some movement in the form of mobility training, pickleball, or even a Beyoncé-themed dance class.
"There are so many needs in our community," Michelle explains. "There are some folks that have just finished grueling treatment. They haven't been able to connect with their people, they don't look like they used to. They're a little self-conscious about their bodies, and they just need to connect and rest. And so the experience for them is maybe just coming to camp and sitting on an Adirondack chair by the lake and just having cool vibes and conversations with people."
"All of a sudden, people are embracing their scars."
Depending on your goals for the weekend (camp starts on Thursday and ends Sunday), some may find themselves among Stage 4 survivors and thrivers, jotting down notes about recent innovations, surgical interventions, and treatment options. Others might trade friendship bracelets, take an art class, or work quietly on a crochet project. The most important thing is that Camp Breastie will always meet you where you're at.
As with any large gathering, Brumel knows some might be worried about making friends or being the odd one out. "Some Breasties have never met another Breastie before, and there's this buildup and hype," she says. "You might worry, 'Oh, there might be cliques and people who know each other and have done this before,' but when you step off the bus, it's literally just a line of people hugging," Brumel says.
At the end of the weekend, Camp Breastie hosts a "Breastival" featuring a DJ, food trucks, multiple activations, and a pride parade (seeing as camp takes place in June). The Breastival has a different theme every year, and the Breasties come dressed accordingly. "All of a sudden, people are embracing their scars," Brumel says. The difference between how people arrive at Camp Breastie versus how they depart is staggering.
