As someone who has recently completed a Mending Casts retreat, we understand how stressful, challenging and exhausting your cancer journey can be. Our hope is that through participating in our fly-fishing programs you have been able to find some respite from day-to-day pressures, share your experiences with others, gain a new skill and reconnect with nature in some way. Ultimately, we trust that you take away something positive that will help you.
We are reaching out to past participants of our Reel Recovery & Casting for Recovery retreats on behalf of the Deakin University research team and asking you to help us improve these programs for those who attend in the future. Working with senior academics at Deakin University, we are undertaking a research project that aims to evaluate the experiences of people in both men’s and women’s programs. The outcome is to scientifically quantify the benefits achieved from participating in fly-fishing activities, spending time in nature, plus talking to Mending Cast volunteers and other attendees. We are also interested in learning what improvements you think can be made to these programs, as this will help us to provide the best service possible.
This project has received Deakin University ethics approval [HEAG-H 176_2023].
Participation in the project involves a short one-off interview over Zoom with one of the researchers. The Registration and Plain Language and Consent Form linked to this email, provides more detailed information about the project. In brief, the interview will be conducted at a time that is convenient for you and will last for as long as you require (normally about 30-45 minutes).
At the conclusion of the study, the Deakin’s researchers will provide a report to Mending Casts detailing their findings from the interviews. Outcomes will also be published in respected academic journals.
Please note that your participation in this research is voluntary. If you do not want to be involved or cannot take part in the interview, that is totally fine. Please know that your decision to take part in the interview or not has no bearing on your relationship with Mending Casts and the services we offer. Mending Casts will not know who takes part in the project as any information you provide will remain confidential and only aggregated data will be used in the final report.
Should you have any questions please contact any of the Deakin university team, Dr Loch Forsyth (email l.forsyth@deakin.edu.au phone 03 924 45951), Professor Victoria White (email vicki.white@deakin.edu.au phone 03 924 68522), Associate Professor Arlene Walker (email arlene.walker@deakin.edu.au phone 03 522 78441).
If you are interested in taking part in an interview, please click the link below to firstly access and read the Plain Language and Consent Form and then to register your interest and provide your consent in the accompanying form.
You will have to copy this URL and paste it into your web browser to access the booking page as your mail filter would not allow this message to be sent with this link active in the text.
Once you register to take part in the study, you will be linked into an online booking system where you can select a date and time for the interview.
Thank you for considering this invitation.
Regards,
John Billing
President : Mending Casts Inc