Cancer Survivor Retreats Ages: 40 and under

Send It Foundation & Luna Vida Adventures

February 21- 26, 2027

March 14 - 19, 2027

A group of people in hiking gear posing in front of a cascading waterfall surrounded by lush green trees.

Retreats Designed to Inspire, Invigorate & Renew Your Spirit

At Luna Vida, we offer nature- and adventure-based retreats near Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica, specially created for cancer patients and survivors. These transformative experiences invite participants to step beyond the walls — and weight — of the cancer journey, reconnecting with joy, strength, and possibility in one of the world’s most stunning natural settings.

Our retreats combine the thrill of outdoor adventure with the grounding power of mindful healing. Participants may find themselves white water rafting, surfing warm Pacific waves, leaping into waterfalls, and exploring lush rainforests — rediscovering courage and vitality with each step.

Equally important are the quiet moments: yoga, meditation, forest bathing, cacao ceremonies, and healing intention circles offer space to reflect, restore, and reconnect with self and community.

Every activity is an invitation to remember this: you are limitless, and the strength within you is deeper than you ever imagined.

A group of nine people standing on the beach at sunset, with the ocean and a cloudy sky in the background, their silhouettes reflected on the wet sand.
Four people wearing yellow life jackets and helmets white water rafting on a river, with rocky terrain in the background.

About Send It Foundation

Send It was founded by Jamie Schou, an outdoor enthusiast from Truckee, California, who was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer in 2012. During his two-year battle with cancer, he continued to embrace his love for adventure and the outdoors with a commitment to live each day to the fullest.

Jamie started Send It one year before passing away in 2014. Today, his legacy continues by providing young adult cancer fighters and survivors with incredible outdoor adventures and community.

Learn more
Multiple hands with colorful bracelets and rings joined together in the center, viewed from above.

SEND IT FOUNDATION MANIFESTO

One day, there will be a cure for cancer.

Until there is, we fight.

Doctors and scientists fight with treatments and tests, therapies and surgeries. We fight cancer with things hospitals and labs can’t provide.

We fight by going outside.

We fight with bikes and skis and surfboards. We fight with fresh air, altitude, adrenaline, and adventure of all kind. We fight on the mountain, in the ocean. We fight from the sand, from the hot tub and from the porch.

We fight with good food and even better meals. We fight with laughter, and tears, and tears of laughter.

We fight by telling stories and making new ones. We fight by creating community and camaraderie.

We fight with positivity and gratitude. We fight for it.

We fight for each moment because each day is a beautiful gift.

Group of people on a rafting trip, wearing helmets and life jackets, smiling and making peace signs, with lush greenery and water in the background, holding a flag that says 'Send It'.

Adventure Awaits

  • A group of people lying on yoga mats on a wooden floor, receiving a sound healing session with crystal singing bowls, candles, and spiritual items arranged on the floor, surrounded by lush green tropical plants visible through open walls.

    Your Mornings

    Rise and shine with yoga, a morning walk, or meditation on the river followed by a healthy and hearty breakfast.

  • A group of people covered in mud, standing on rocks in a stream, with a waterfall and dense greenery in the background, celebrating and smiling.

    Your Days

    Head out for surfing at the beach, white water rafting, exploring waterfalls, or hanging bridges. Soak it all in, push your limits, and enjoy every moment!

  • A group of people gathered around a fire pit in a lush, jungle-like setting at dusk or night.

    Your Evenings

    Enjoy some down time to journal, sit in a hammock, head down to the river, or read a book. Enjoy a warm meal and bonfire with friends.

Staying at Chorro Ecolodge

“Stay close to nature; it will never fail you.”

Nestled in the rainforest, overlooking the Naranjo River, you will rise with the sun and cacophony of tropical birds and fall asleep to the flowing river and unique rainforest night sounds. Chorro Ecolodge has been a family heart project with the goal of bringing folks together to heal in nature. Our double and triple glamping safari-style tents are equipped with extremely comfortable beds, ceiling fans, and private bathrooms with hot showers overlooking the jungle.

Lush green jungle with a river flowing through it, viewed from a dense foliage perspective, bright sky with some clouds above the trees.
Inside a cozy tent with a wooden bed frame, grey bedding, and decorative pillows, illuminated by a small table lamp, with greenery visible through the windows.
Outdoors at twilight showing trees and the sky, with a lit-up seating area and tents in the foreground.
Two people, an adult woman and a young girl, standing and sitting on rocks in a river surrounded by lush green trees and rocky terrain, with a partly cloudy sky overhead.

My Cancer Story

In 2015, I lost my father to neuroendocrine cancer. Like many, I never imagined that “this” could happen to me. Then in October 2022, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I underwent a bilateral mastectomy, chemotherapy, radiation, and later, reconstructive surgery.

This experience changed me — not just physically, but spiritually and emotionally. The importance of living in the present and taking life one day at a time has never been clearer.

Throughout treatment, I discovered how essential it was to hold onto the things that brought me joy. I felt immense gratitude for my passions and the incredible place I call home, where I could still get out into nature — even on the hard days. Mountain biking, rainforest hikes, ocean swims, surfing, and yoga became lifelines, grounding me and lifting my spirit. Prioritizing those moments, however small, made a world of difference in how I felt — physically, mentally, and emotionally.

One day during treatment, I spoke with a new friend who had also been through cancer. She shared that even though her treatment had ended, and the world expected her to return to “normal,” she still felt overwhelmed and unsure of how to truly move forward. “I feel like I could really use a retreat,” she said. That moment stayed with me.

I began reflecting on what my husband Leo and I had been building — Luna Vida and his dream of Chorro Ecolodge — spaces rooted in nature, adventure, and deep connection to Costa Rican culture. I realized that what I wanted most was to create experiences that support the healing journeys of others, just as nature had supported mine.

And so, a new path became clear: to offer retreats for those touched by cancer, creating extraordinary, nurturing spaces where people can reconnect with themselves, with others who understand, and with the incredible healing power of nature.

This is my purpose now — to help others heal, thrive, and rediscover joy here in the magical country I’m lucky enough to call home.

A group of five people, including children, sitting on a swing with a bright smile in front of a wooden cabin porch. The porch has decorations like a star and a star-shaped ornament, with trees visible in the background.
Three people smiling on the beach with surfboards, one woman and two men, under an overcast sky, with trees in the background.
Woman with a bald head, sunglasses, and athletic cycling outfit, smiling on a mountain bike in a lush, green backyard with a slide and trees.
Guests swimming beneath a 120-foot rainforest waterfall during the Hanging Bridges Tour near Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica.
A blue morpho butterfly resting on a green leaf.
A person practicing yoga or meditation in a tree pose at sunset on a beach, with the sun aligned between their hands above their head.
Aerial view of lush green forest with a waterfall and a long suspension bridge crossing over the river below, with people walking on the bridge.
A raised wooden deck with colorful hammocks in a lush, green, forested area. People are seen relaxing and walking around, with patio furniture and decorative plants below the deck.
Person standing with arms outstretched in front of a large waterfall.
A young woman in a pink swimsuit joyfully raising her arms in the water with a wide smile, surrounded by splashing water and rocks.
Two hammocks hanging between trees on a sandy beach, with a large rock formation in the ocean and blue sky in the background.
The image shows a squirrel monkey sitting on a tree branch in a green, leafy environment.
People swimming and relaxing in a small waterfall and rocky river surrounded by greenery.
Tropical beach scene with turquoise ocean waves, a lush green palm forest, and colorful parrots flying over the trees.
People enjoying a waterfall, with two women in the water smiling and one woman sitting on rocks with two people sitting on a ledge above the waterfall.
Close-up of a wooden board filled with assorted sliced fresh fruits including mango, papaya, passion fruit, lemon, and passion fruit, along with mixed nuts and dried berries, on a wooden table.
Group of six people in helmets and life jackets rafting down a river near a waterfall.
Three people sitting and standing on rocks at a waterfall surrounded by lush green trees and plants.
Group of people swimming and standing in a river at the base of a waterfall surrounded by lush green trees.
A group of people in swimsuits and outdoor gear enjoying themselves in front of a waterfall in a lush green jungle setting.
Person walking on a narrow suspension bridge with lush green trees and a waterfall in the background.
Friends having fun with chocolate-covered hands during a hands-on chocolate-making workshop near Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica.
A woman surfing on a small wave in the ocean, with distant islands and hills visible in the background.
A person hiking through dense jungle with tall trees and lush greenery, wearing a hat and carrying a backpack.