The reach to recovery program in America and Europe

Abstract

Reach to Recovery is a program dedicated to helping women who have just had breast surgery. The program uses trained volunteers, all of whom are former mastectomy patients. Begun in 1952 by Terese Lasser, Reach to Recovery became part of the American Cancer Society in 1969. Many thousands of women in America have benefited from this carefully organized, dignified program. In 1974, the Society extended Reach to Recovery to Europe, where the approach to its application has been different for each country. Many European countries now have a working Reach to Recovery program, most of which are sponsored by their national Cancer Society. Its successful evolution has resulted in multiple benefits on all levels, and the natural outcome of so much unified effort will be a European Conference on Reach to Recovery to be held in Copenhagen in May 1980. Copyright © 1980 American Cancer Society