Cindy O’Harra, Texas Health HEB

Every spring and fall, 24 campers and 24 volunteer “buddies” head to a ranch in east Texas to relax, recharge, make new friends and support each other in the one experience they all share — cancer.

During the three-day, two-night getaway, campers at the Bluebonnet Retreat take a break from the everyday burdens of their cancer diagnosis to enjoy arts and crafts, fishing, luaus and other activities. The camp is free and anyone — male or female — aged 18 and older who has received a cancer diagnosis in the past five years can apply to attend the retreat. It’s also the only adult cancer camp of its kind in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

Since 1994, the camp has been a special project of Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Hurst-Euless-Bedford and is generously supported by the community and Texas Health employees through philanthropic donations. It is also sustained through an endowment that was established in 1997 so that the camp would always continue, free of charge.

Cindy O’Harra has been volunteering as a buddy at the Bluebonnet Retreat for more than nine years and through her love of the retreat and its purpose decided to give more than just her time. She recently made a generous gift to the Bluebonnet Retreat endowment to help extend the life of the retreat.

Read the rest of her story in our Winter 2017 issue of IN TOUCH on page 16.