| Most everyone has an inspirational person in their | | | | have had breast cancer, offers weekend retreats |
| life.A teacher, a relative or mentor that helps to | | | | to help promote healing both physically and |
| give direction to us as we fumble and negotiate | | | | mentally while learning the sport of fly fishing. The |
| our perilous way through life.For me, that person | | | | retreats are held in natural settings and offer |
| was my sister Esther.Truth be told, she was | | | | counseling, stress relief, as well as the gentle |
| more like a mother to me. Making sure that her | | | | excercise that fly fishing offers.Casting For |
| little brother who romped through life with little | | | | Recovery offers these retreats at no cost to |
| direction, and even fewer rules, had some form | | | | participants. They provide lodging,meals and |
| of caring discipline to keep him from straying to | | | | instruction. They have volunteer physical |
| far from an honest life.Some may argue that my | | | | therapists, psychotherapists,and professional fly |
| being a fisherman and writer would make her a | | | | fishing instructors on staff. Most of all, they offer |
| complete failure in her attempts to achieve that | | | | dignity and hope.If you are a true fisherman or |
| goal, but they would be wrong in expressing that | | | | fisherwoman, then you can certainly understand |
| notion.Cancer is a terrible thing.It took my sister | | | | the value of using any form of fishing as |
| from this earth at the age of 26. Breast cancer | | | | therapy,and it is great to see a program like this |
| to be exact.I was 18 at the time, and you just | | | | exist to help women get back onto the road of |
| might as well have reached into my chest and | | | | recovery.What can you do?Go to GIVE.If you |
| tore my heart out.Cancer at any age is scary, but | | | | have ever had or known a family member or |
| to be told at age 24 that your life is in peril can | | | | friend who has gone through breast cancer, you |
| be devastating. My sister handled it with the most | | | | will know the trauma and fear that comes with it- |
| dignity, courage and strength that I have ever | | | | for all involved. But obviously, for the victim itself |
| witnessed. By the time chemotherapy, breast and | | | | it is life changing at best, and devastating at |
| lymph node removal,and the spreading to her | | | | worst.I know it altered my life. Almost everything |
| bones had taken it's toll on her, she looked like an | | | | major I do in my life, still comes from my sister's |
| eighty year old women-yet her smile never left | | | | influence. Even my living in Oregon was influenced |
| her soul and she still only thought of others first. | | | | by a final trip we made together just before she |
| Right up to the planning of her own funeral.Didn't | | | | died. Even her last months were spent giving me |
| want anyone else to have to go through that | | | | proper direction.In many ways I feel that I am |
| trouble.Esther was a teacher by trade, and a | | | | living two lives.One for myself-and one that was |
| Saint by virtue. She graduated Magna Cum Laude | | | | never realized.I recently finished my first book, |
| from college, loved children, yet never realized | | | | The Fish Wrap, which is about the furthest thing I |
| that joy,having found out about the cancer just | | | | or anybody would have ever thought would come |
| prior to trying for her first child.She never missed | | | | from my hands. By no stretch of the imagination |
| a birthday or holiday celebration. Esther loved life, | | | | would I even consider myself a professional |
| was intelligent, responsible, overly caring, and | | | | writer, but the book was done as a fun project |
| generous.Pretty much everything I wasn't.Breast | | | | and it was done to honor my sister's inspiration |
| cancer diagnosis and treatment was still in it's | | | | and is dedicated to her memory.Also, as a |
| infancy back in 1974. In fact, at first they told her | | | | dedication to her memory, I am going to give half |
| to go home and not worry about it, that it | | | | the proceeds from the book to Casting For |
| probably was just some fatty cysts.They couldn't | | | | Recovery so that others can do what Esther |
| have been more wrong.What does this have to | | | | never got a chance to do.Recover.Please give to |
| do with fishing? What does this have to do with a | | | | Casting For Recovery.A.J. Klott is a writer of |
| fishing blog?Everything.An organization called | | | | fishing stories and the people that surround the |
| Casting For Recovery, a non-profit group of | | | | fishing world. |
| support and education for women who have, or | | | | |