The Beat the Odds Urban Retreat, held at the Todd Cancer Institute, is a condensed version (two weekends instead of ten weeks) of the Beat the Odds program. This program can be done in lieu of or in addition to the regular Beat the Odds program.

Over the course of two weekends (Friday afternoon, Saturday and Sunday), you will have available to you immediate access to therapy staff, interaction with peers, and many impromptu therapy sessions. You will also benefit from a broader and deeper acquisition of the concepts and techniques taught in the Beat the Odds program. Lunch is provided on Saturday and Sunday.

Each day of the program you will be completely immersed in the curriculum, but you will be able to go home each day. This will allow you to apply the things you have learned in the program to daily life.
Benefits of the urban retreat include:

• Faculty members and staff that are readily available for ad hoc sessions and help.
• Minimal distractions from the healing work, allowing for participants to process the material taught to them.
• Each participant receives a lot of individualized attention from staff.
• Through group work, each participant offers their own perspective, allowing for an enriched understanding of the presented concepts.

Each faculty member was a close co-worker of the late Dr. O. Carl Simonton for many years.

Mariusz Wirga, M.D., Medical Director of Psychosocial Oncology at Long Beach Memorial Medical Center who has over 25 years of experience working with cancer patients and their families. In 2004, he and his wife Aleksandra Wirga introduced the successful Beat the Odds program at Long Beach Memorial Medical Center.

Aleksandra Wirga, M.D., Board Certified psychiatrist and expert in cognitive-behavior therapy with over 20 year experience in psycho-oncology and mind-body medicine.

Erin Sommerville, Mind-Body Oncology Coach at Todd Cancer Institute, Long Beach Memorial Medical Center and a cancer survivor with over two decades of experience in mind-body medicine.

First Weekend:
Friday

12:30 pm – 1:00 pm Registration
1:00 pm – 1:25 pm Completion of Questionnaires
1:30 pm – 4:30 pm Classes (including breaks – snacks provided)

Saturday and Sunday
9:15 am – 9:30 am Completion and Collection of Class Surveys
9:30 am – 12:00 noon Morning Classes
12:00 noon – 12:30 pm Lunch provided (catered vegan food)
12:30 pm – 1:30 pm Time for individual/family sessions, homework or rest.
1:30 pm – 4:30 pm Afternoon Classes

Second Weekend (two weeks later):
Friday
1:15 pm – 1:30 pm Completion and Collection of Class Surveys
1:30 pm – 4:30 pm Classes (including breaks – snacks provided)

Saturday
9:15 am – 9:30 am Completion and Collection of Class Surveys
9:30 am – 12:00 noon Morning Classes
12:00 noon – 12:30 pm Lunch provided (catered vegan food)
12:30 pm – 1:30 pm Time for individual/family sessions, homework or rest.
1:30 pm – 4:30 pm Afternoon Classes

Sunday
9:15 am – 9:30 am Completion and Collection of Class Surveys
9:30 am – 12:00 noon Morning Classes
12:00 noon – 12:30 pm Lunch provided (catered vegan food)
12:30 pm – 1:30 pm Time for individual/family sessions, homework or rest.
1:30 pm – 2:30 pm Afternoon Class
2:30 pm – 3:00 pm Conclusion of the retreat

Location: Todd Cancer Institute
2801 Atlantic Ave, Long Beach, CA 90806
Phone: (562) 933-0900

Cost: $75 for snacks and four vegan lunches.
Significant part of this program is covered by most health plan