Travel Toward Wellness specializes in women's wellness travel for cancer survivors

Cancer survivors often describe their experience as a "journey." Now Nancy Parker, veteran corporate executive and breast cancer survivor, is taking other survivors on a more joyful journey. Her company, Travel Toward Wellness, is filling a unique travel niche, specializing in girlfriend getaways and women's wellness travel for cancer survivors.

“With over 5 million women cancer survivors around the nation, so many of us have been touched by the life-changing journey that starts with a cancer diagnosis. We strive to help replenish energy, renew creativity and re-engage feelings of joy”

The company's only mission is to serve women touched by cancer, whether they've completed treatment recently or years ago. "Surviving cancer is cause for celebration, self discovery and renewal. No one knows better than a cancer survivor that 'life happens now.' The right kind of travel experience can be life-affirming and therapeutic," said Parker, who draws on 25-plus years of planning travel and meetings with Fortune 100 companies.

"Our trips empower women survivors and co-survivors to visit places and have experiences they've dreamed about, in the company of friends and family, or on their own while forming new friendships," Parker said. The company's trips throughout the U.S. and abroad are exciting and relaxing, yet also address physical and emotional challenges women cancer survivors face.

Highlights for 2010 include an Oasis By The Bay Spa Retreat at Cavallo Point in the San Francisco Bay area, September 12 - 16; and Shop Around Tuscany, October 9-16, taking travelers with a taste for Italy's finest, such as Prada and Fendi, to designer outlets throughout the region.

For the company's signature Healing Spa Retreats, Parker selects wellness spas that are sensitive to survivors' needs and that have staff certified to work with cancer patients. All fitness vacations meet the American Cancer Society's Physical Activity Guidelines, and Parker or her staff escort each group.

Parker's own journey led to the niche travel business when she sought opportunities for wellness travel with other cancer survivors and found none tailored to her needs.

"With over 5 million women cancer survivors around the nation, so many of us have been touched by the life-changing journey that starts with a cancer diagnosis. We strive to help replenish energy, renew creativity and re-engage feelings of joy," Parker said. According to the American Cancer Society, more than 700,000 women were diagnosed with cancer in 2009 -- more than 190,000 with breast cancer.

SOURCE Travel Toward Wellness