that travel couple cancer

How bucket lists can help cancer patients and their loved ones enjoy life and prepare for death

Analysis How bucket lists can help cancer patients and their loved ones enjoy life and prepare for death

In the 2007 film The Bucket List , Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman play two main characters who respond to their terminal cancer diagnoses by rejecting experimental treatment. Instead, they go on a range of energetic, overseas escapades.

Since then, the term "bucket list" — a list of experiences or achievements to complete before you "kick the bucket" or die — has become common.

You can read articles listing the seven cities you must visit before you die or the 100 Australian bucket-list travel experiences .

But there is a more serious side to the idea behind bucket lists. One of the key forms of suffering at the end of life is regret for things left unsaid or undone. So bucket lists can serve as a form of insurance against this potential regret.

The bucket-list search for adventure, memories and meaning takes on a life of its own with a diagnosis of life-limiting illness.

In a study published this week , we spoke to 54 people living with cancer, and 28 of their friends and family. For many, a key bucket list item was travel.

Why is travel so important?

There are lots of reasons why travel plays such a central role in our ideas about a "life well-lived". Travel is often linked to important life transitions : the youthful gap year, the journey to self-discovery in the 2010 film Eat Pray Love , or the popular figure of the "grey nomad" .

The significance of travel is not merely in the destination, nor even in the journey. For many people, planning the travel is just as important. A cancer diagnosis affects people's sense of control over their future, throwing into question their ability to write their own life story or plan their travel dreams.

Mark, the recently retired husband of a woman with cancer, told us about their stalled travel plans:

"We're just in that part of our lives where we were going to jump in the caravan and do the big trip and all this sort of thing, and now [our plans are] on blocks in the shed."

For others, a cancer diagnosis brought an urgent need to "tick things off" their bucket list. Asha, a woman living with breast cancer, told us she'd always been driven to "get things done" but the cancer diagnosis made this worse:

"So, I had to do all the travel, I had to empty my bucket list now, which has kind of driven my partner round the bend."

People's travel dreams ranged from whale watching in Queensland to seeing polar bears in the Arctic, and from driving a caravan across the Nullarbor Plain to skiing in Switzerland.

Nadia, who was 38-years-old when we spoke to her, said travelling with her family had made important memories and given her a sense of vitality, despite her health struggles. She told us how being diagnosed with cancer had given her the chance to live her life at a younger age, rather than waiting for retirement:

"In the last three years, I think I've lived more than a lot of 80-year-olds."

But travel is expensive

Of course, travel is expensive. It's not by chance Nicholson's character in The Bucket List is a billionaire.

Some people we spoke to had emptied their savings, assuming they would no longer need to provide for aged care or retirement. Others had used insurance payouts or charity to make their bucket-list dreams come true.

But not everyone can do this. Jim, a 60-year-old whose wife had been diagnosed with cancer, told us:

"We've actually bought a new car and [been] talking about getting a new caravan … But I've got to work. It'd be nice if there was a little money tree out the back but never mind."

Not everyone's bucket list items were expensive. Some chose to spend more time with loved ones, take up a new hobby or get a pet.

Our study showed making plans to tick items off a list can give people a sense of self-determination and hope for the future. It was a way of exerting control in the face of an illness that can leave people feeling powerless. Asha said:

"This disease is not going to control me. I am not going to sit still and do nothing. I want to go travel."

Something we 'ought' to do?

Bucket lists are also a symptom of a broader culture that emphasises conspicuous consumption and productivity, even into the end of life.

Indeed, people told us travelling could be exhausting, expensive and stressful, especially when they're also living with the symptoms and side effects of treatment. Nevertheless, they felt travel was something they "ought" to do.

Travel can be deeply meaningful, as our study found. But a life well-lived need not be extravagant or adventurous. Finding what is meaningful is a deeply personal journey.

Leah Williams Veazey, Alex Broom and Katherine Kenny are sociologists based at the Sydney Centre for Healthy Societies at The University of Sydney.  This piece first appeared on The Conversation .

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Traveling With Cancer: Advice, Tips, and Tricks

How to know when you shouldn’t be traveling with cancer, how to prepare to travel safely, and what you can do to reduce the stress and cost of traveling

A trip or vacation with family and friends can be a great way to take your mind off the events surrounding your cancer diagnosis and treatment. But when faced with the need to travel, whether it's for a vacation, business purposes, or to get treatments, it’s natural for people with cancer to wonder if it would be unsafe.

“It’s generally safe to travel with cancer, even on longer [more than five-hour] flights,” says Jeffrey Velotta, MD , a cardiothoracic surgeon with extensive expertise in pleural mesothelioma and lung cancer.

Still, it’s important to know when you shouldn’t travel with your condition, what and how to prepare to travel safely, and what you can do to reduce the stress and cost of traveling.

When Not to Travel With Cancer

While it is generally considered safe for people with cancer to travel, there are times when you should cancel your plans and stay home. “The caveats are that if you had a major cancer surgery within four to six weeks, or if you are actively undergoing chemotherapy and have had an infusion within one week, you shouldn’t travel, because of possible feelings of dehydration, nausea or vomiting, or severe fatigue,” says Dr. Velotta, adding that being on longer flights can worsen these symptoms.

Notably, there are no established regulations or criteria to deem a person with cancer unfit to travel. But, according to a review article published in the Journal of Global Oncology , people who are receiving intensive radiation or systemic cancer treatments, those whose cancer requires close monitoring by healthcare professionals, or those with stage 4 cancer should not travel on commercial airlines.

Possible Dangers of Traveling With Cancer

It’s important to be aware of the potential risks when traveling with cancer.

• The stress from being on a flight or on the road for a long time may worsen your symptoms or have negative impacts on your overall health.
• It may be difficult to get medical care or emergency medical intervention while in transit.
• You may experience reduced oxygen delivery on a flight if you are an older adult, have low levels of healthy red blood cells (anemia), or have an existing cardiopulmonary disease such as bronchitis (inflammation of the lung airways) or polycythemia (a blood disorder where you have too many red blood cells).
• Your risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE), which is a blood clot that forms in the veins, may be higher if you have cancer and are traveling for over eight hours.
• People with cancer who travel by air may experience pleural effusion (fluid in the lungs) or pain.
• If you had a brain tumor and underwent a recent neurosurgery, you may be at risk of increased pressure within your skull when you travel at a high altitude.

And there is another potential danger of traveling with cancer: “You are potentially at a higher risk of contracting COVID-19 and other upper respiratory infections or viruses,” Velotta points out, suggesting that you should avoid traveling or delay your flight if you feel sick.

Should You Inform Anyone About Your Condition?

Before traveling, there are some key people you should consider speaking with or informing about your condition.

“If you're dealing with cancer and planning a trip, talk to your healthcare team. Your provider can confirm whether it's safe to travel and offer tips on managing things while you're away,” says Sean Marchese, RN , a nurse at the Mesothelioma Center, an advocacy organization in Orlando, Florida, with a background in oncology clinical trials and over 20 years of patient-care experience.

Your doctor can arrange for the medications you will need to take with you and determine whether you will need a medical alert letter or special documentation for your medication. For instance, this might be necessary if you are taking a synthetic opioid like methadone for cancer-related pain.

You can get advice from your other healthcare team members, like the nurse and patient navigator, about the following:

• Where and how to buy travel health insurance
• How to cope with symptoms and medication side effects when you are away from home
• Other essentials you will need to take with you on the trip

While it's not obligatory, some people may want to inform their flight attendants and seatmates about their medical condition. “It's wise to tell the flight crew about your health, especially if you anticipate needing help. Communicating your needs keeps everyone in the loop in case of an emergency,” Marchese says.

Prepare for Your Trip

Here are some tips to help you plan and prepare for a safe trip.

• Notify your healthcare team ahead of time about your travel plans. If you are undergoing treatment, they can arrange a break or change the treatment dates.
• Pack your prescribed medications and take them as directed before and during the flight.
• Consider speaking with the travel company you will be using so they can provide you with any needed support, such as a wheelchair.
• Arrange to get travel insurance, in case you need it.
• If you had surgery, speak to your doctor about any extra supplies you need to carry with you.
• Carry your face mask, alcohol-based hand-sanitizing gel, and sunscreen with you.
• Wear compression socks to improve blood flow and reduce leg swelling during the trip.
• If your cancer is causing you bowel or bladder problems, consider getting a “Just Can’t Wait” toilet card or booking an aisle seat close to the lavatory. You can also download a toilet app on your phone to help you find public restrooms when you arrive at your destination.
• Pack healthy snacks like sliced apples and peanut butter, whole-grain crackers, and nuts. Make healthy food choices even when you get to your destination.
• Plan to stay active. If you are on a long road trip, use rest-stop breaks to stretch and take a short walk. For plane trips, you can explore the airport while waiting for a connecting flight or try simple inflight exercises (for example: pull each knee up toward the chest and hold it there with your hands for 15 seconds, and repeat).
• Drink enough water, and avoid consuming excess alcohol or caffeinated drinks during your trip.

For more travel health information, speak to a travel health specialist or visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for information on diseases that are of concern at your destination and vaccines that may be recommended for you.

Medical Travel Agencies and Travel Health Specialists

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, it has become particularly risky for people with medical conditions like cancer to travel through public transport systems. This is because cancer and its treatments can suppress the immune system, making it harder for the body to fight off infections.

For people with cancer who are in critical condition or are receiving treatment, it may be helpful to seek the services of healthcare travel agencies that can connect them with affiliated hospitals at their destinations and provide medical air services or medically equipped buses. Such planes or buses may be outfitted with intensive care facilities, medications, and even trained medical personnel. You can visit the International Medical Travel Journal’s directory and search for medical travel agencies around your location that offer such services.

Another option is to consult a travel health specialist before you go. In collaboration with your oncology team, a travel health specialist can advise you on how best to protect yourself from illnesses transmitted by insects or parasites such as ticks and mosquitoes, depending on the region you're traveling to and the time of year. They can also recommend vaccines you should get. “Vaccines depend on where you're going. Many places require flu and pneumonia shots, but it varies,” says Marchese.

"Generally speaking, lung cancer or cancer spread to the lungs will have a higher risk of worse upper respiratory symptoms or pneumonias," adds Velotta. So, if you have this type of cancer, you need to ensure your boosters for COVID-19 are up-to-date.

Traveling with cancer can come with additional costs that some families may not be able to afford. Speak with your medical team, a patient navigator, or a social worker to learn about resources that can help with the cost of transportation, food, lodging, and other needs.

If you are traveling to get medical treatment, check out the American Cancer Society’s list of programs and resources for help with cancer-related expenses.

Editorial Sources and Fact-Checking

Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy . We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.

• Heng S et al. Traveling With Cancer: A Guide for Oncologists in the Modern World. Journal of Global Oncology . July 10, 2019.
• Aerospace Medical Association Medical Guidelines Task Force. Medical Guidelines for Airline Travel, 2nd Edition. Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine . May 2003.
• Brändström H et al. Risk for Intracranial Pressure Increase Related to Enclosed Air in Post-Craniotomy Patients During Air Ambulance Transport: A Retrospective Cohort Study With Simulation. Scandinavian Journal of Trauma Resuscitation and Emergency Medicine . May 12, 2017.
• Ahmedzai S et al. Managing Passengers With Stable Respiratory Disease Planning Air Travel: British Thoracic Society Recommendations. Thorax . September 2011.
• Why People With Cancer Are More Likely to Get Infections. American Cancer Society . March 13, 2020.
• Blood Clots and Travel: What You Need to Know. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . June 28, 2023
• Opioids for Cancer Pain. American Cancer Society . May 23, 2023.
• Travelers With Chronic Illnesses. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . August 16, 2022.
• Destinations. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
• Eat Right and Stay Active While Traveling. American Cancer Society . November 21, 2019.
• Programs and Resources to Help With Cancer-Related Expenses. American Cancer Society . September 30, 2023.

Paris in spring, Bali in winter. How ‘bucket lists’ help cancer patients handle life and death

ARC DECRA Research Fellow, University of Sydney

Professor of Sociology & Director, Sydney Centre for Healthy Societies, University of Sydney

ARC DECRA Senior Research Fellow, University of Sydney

Disclosure statement

Leah Williams Veazey receives funding from the Australian Research Council.

Alex Broom receives funding from the Australian Research Council

Katherine Kenny receives funding from The Australian Research Council.

University of Sydney provides funding as a member of The Conversation AU.

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In the 2007 film The Bucket List Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman play two main characters who respond to their terminal cancer diagnoses by rejecting experimental treatment. Instead, they go on a range of energetic, overseas escapades.

Since then, the term “bucket list” – a list of experiences or achievements to complete before you “kick the bucket” or die – has become common.

You can read articles listing the seven cities you must visit before you die or the 100 Australian bucket-list travel experiences.

But there is a more serious side to the idea behind bucket lists. One of the key forms of suffering at the end of life is regret for things left unsaid or undone. So bucket lists can serve as a form of insurance against this potential regret.

The bucket-list search for adventure, memories and meaning takes on a life of its own with a diagnosis of life-limiting illness.

In a study published this week, we spoke to 54 people living with cancer, and 28 of their friends and family. For many, a key bucket list item was travel.

Why is travel so important?

There are lots of reasons why travel plays such a central role in our ideas about a “life well-lived”. Travel is often linked to important life transitions : the youthful gap year, the journey to self-discovery in the 2010 film Eat Pray Love , or the popular figure of the “ grey nomad ”.

The significance of travel is not merely in the destination, nor even in the journey. For many people, planning the travel is just as important. A cancer diagnosis affects people’s sense of control over their future, throwing into question their ability to write their own life story or plan their travel dreams.

Mark, the recently retired husband of a woman with cancer, told us about their stalled travel plans:

We’re just in that part of our lives where we were going to jump in the caravan and do the big trip and all this sort of thing, and now [our plans are] on blocks in the shed.

For others, a cancer diagnosis brought an urgent need to “tick things off” their bucket list. Asha, a woman living with breast cancer, told us she’d always been driven to “get things done” but the cancer diagnosis made this worse:

So, I had to do all the travel, I had to empty my bucket list now, which has kind of driven my partner round the bend.

People’s travel dreams ranged from whale watching in Queensland to seeing polar bears in the Arctic, and from driving a caravan across the Nullarbor Plain to skiing in Switzerland.

Nadia, who was 38 years old when we spoke to her, said travelling with her family had made important memories and given her a sense of vitality, despite her health struggles. She told us how being diagnosed with cancer had given her the chance to live her life at a younger age, rather than waiting for retirement:

In the last three years, I think I’ve lived more than a lot of 80-year-olds.

But travel is expensive

Of course, travel is expensive. It’s not by chance Nicholson’s character in The Bucket List is a billionaire.

Some people we spoke to had emptied their savings, assuming they would no longer need to provide for aged care or retirement. Others had used insurance payouts or charity to make their bucket-list dreams come true.

But not everyone can do this. Jim, a 60-year-old whose wife had been diagnosed with cancer, told us:

We’ve actually bought a new car and [been] talking about getting a new caravan […] But I’ve got to work. It’d be nice if there was a little money tree out the back but never mind.

Not everyone’s bucket list items were expensive. Some chose to spend more time with loved ones, take up a new hobby or get a pet.

Our study showed making plans to tick items off a list can give people a sense of self-determination and hope for the future. It was a way of exerting control in the face of an illness that can leave people feeling powerless. Asha said:

This disease is not going to control me. I am not going to sit still and do nothing. I want to go travel.

Something we ‘ought’ to do?

Bucket lists are also a symptom of a broader culture that emphasises conspicuous consumption and productivity , even into the end of life.

Indeed, people told us travelling could be exhausting, expensive and stressful, especially when they’re also living with the symptoms and side effects of treatment. Nevertheless, they felt travel was something they “ ought ” to do.

Travel can be deeply meaningful, as our study found. But a life well-lived need not be extravagant or adventurous. Finding what is meaningful is a deeply personal journey.

Names of study participants mentioned in this article are pseudonyms.

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• Cancer patients
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Paris in spring, Bali in winter. How travel ‘bucket lists’ help cancer patients handle life and death

A cancer diagnosis affects people’s sense of control over their future. thus, a travel bucket list can serve as a form of insurance against potential regret..

In the 2007 film The Bucket List Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman play two main characters who respond to their terminal cancer diagnoses by rejecting experimental treatment. Instead, they go on a range of energetic, overseas escapades. Since then, the term “bucket list” – a list of experiences or achievements to complete before you “kick the bucket” or die – has become common. You can read articles listing the seven cities you must visit before you die or the 100 Australian bucket-list travel experiences.

But there is a more serious side to the idea behind bucket lists. One of the key forms of suffering at the end of life is regret for things left unsaid or undone. So bucket lists can serve as a form of insurance against this potential regret.

The bucket-list search for adventure, memories and meaning takes on a life of its own with a diagnosis of life-limiting illness. (Also Read | Tourists warned of water shortage on Koh Phi Phi Islands in Thailand )

In a study published this week, we spoke to 54 people living with cancer, and 28 of their friends and family. For many, a key bucket list item was travel.

Why is travel so important?

There are lots of reasons why travel plays such a central role in our ideas about a “life well-lived”. Travel is often linked to important life transitions: the youthful gap year, the journey to self-discovery in the 2010 film Eat Pray Love, or the popular figure of the “grey nomad”.

The significance of travel is not merely in the destination, nor even in the journey. For many people, planning the travel is just as important. A cancer diagnosis affects people’s sense of control over their future, throwing into question their ability to write their own life story or plan their travel dreams.

Mark, the recently retired husband of a woman with cancer, told us about their stalled travel plans:

We’re just in that part of our lives where we were going to jump in the caravan and do the big trip and all this sort of thing, and now [our plans are] on blocks in the shed.

For others, a cancer diagnosis brought an urgent need to “tick things off” their bucket list. Asha, a woman living with breast cancer, told us she’d always been driven to “get things done” but the cancer diagnosis made this worse:

So, I had to do all the travel, I had to empty my bucket list now, which has kind of driven my partner round the bend.

People’s travel dreams ranged from whale watching in Queensland to seeing polar bears in the Arctic, and from driving a caravan across the Nullarbor Plain to skiing in Switzerland.

Nadia, who was 38 years old when we spoke to her, said travelling with her family had made important memories and given her a sense of vitality, despite her health struggles. She told us how being diagnosed with cancer had given her the chance to live her life at a younger age, rather than waiting for retirement:

In the last three years, I think I’ve lived more than a lot of 80-year-olds.

But travel is expensive

Of course, travel is expensive. It’s not by chance Nicholson’s character in The Bucket List is a billionaire.

Some people we spoke to had emptied their savings, assuming they would no longer need to provide for aged care or retirement. Others had used insurance payouts or charity to make their bucket-list dreams come true.

But not everyone can do this. Jim, a 60-year-old whose wife had been diagnosed with cancer, told us:

We’ve actually bought a new car and [been] talking about getting a new caravan […] But I’ve got to work. It’d be nice if there was a little money tree out the back but never mind.

Not everyone’s bucket list items were expensive. Some chose to spend more time with loved ones, take up a new hobby or get a pet.

Our study showed making plans to tick items off a list can give people a sense of self-determination and hope for the future. It was a way of exerting control in the face of an illness that can leave people feeling powerless. Asha said:

This disease is not going to control me. I am not going to sit still and do nothing. I want to go travel.

Something we ‘ought’ to do?

Bucket lists are also a symptom of a broader culture that emphasises conspicuous consumption and productivity, even into the end of life.

Indeed, people told us travelling could be exhausting, expensive and stressful, especially when they’re also living with the symptoms and side effects of treatment. Nevertheless, they felt travel was something they “ought” to do.

Travel can be deeply meaningful, as our study found. But a life well-lived need not be extravagant or adventurous. Finding what is meaningful is a deeply personal journey.

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6 Tips for Traveling with Cancer

Traveling is the one thing on most people’s bucket lists, and when someone is told they have cancer, they may want to squeeze in one good trip before their treatment starts – depending on their diagnosis and whether their particular treatment plan allows for the delay. In other cases, the effects of the cancer treatment are not so severe as to stop a traveler from taking a trip.

You can get more advice, information, and tips for coping with and surviving cancer at Cancer.net , the oncologist-approved cancer information website from the American Society of Clinical Oncology.

What are the risks of traveling with cancer?

Some of the most important risks that those with cancer face when traveling include the following:

• Risk of infection – if you are receiving chemotherapy, there is a significantly higher risk of infection. For some people, the risk of infection is so high that their doctor will recommend avoiding travel while receiving chemotherapy.
• Restrictions on flying – some people with cancer may not be permitted to fly because the oxygen levels and changes in air pressure at high altitudes can be dangerous. Also, air travel is not recommended for 10 days after surgery for the same reasons, along with the risk of lymphedema, or swelling in the extremities for those who have had lymph nodes removed.
• Risk of blood clots – particularly for a person with cancer, the risk of blood clots, also called thrombosis, is potentially life-threatening. A person with cancer may not be able to take an extended trip because they shouldn’t be sitting still for long periods of time.
• Low energy – in many cases, cancer treatments cause fatigue, sometimes severe fatigue, after treatment and this may limit the traveler’s ability to travel. Often people want to celebrate the end of their treatment, but patients are usually warned to delay it until their energy levels return so they can enjoy their trip.

One of the risks that are not often talked about is the resistance you may face with family and friends when you decide to take a trip after your diagnosis.

We can’t tell you how to handle this particular risk, but hopefully following the tips outlined here will put you in a better position to ease their minds.

1. Check with your Doctor First

As you might expect, it’s critical for a cancer patient who wants to travel to check with their doctor first for several reasons:

• You want to be sure it’s safe for you to travel
• Want to know what precautions to take while you are traveling
• You want to know what to do if you feel ill while on your trip
• Want to know if there are any necessary vaccinations prior to your trip
• You want to cover your trip with travel insurance

Ideally, by working closely with your doctor you can determine whether the trip you want to take can be successfully accomplished now or if it should wait until your treatment is completed and you’ve fully recovered.

2. Research your Destination

Cancer treatments like chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and steroid therapy sometimes weaken the immune system and limit the effectiveness of vaccinations received while the cancer patient is receiving treatment and for some time after. In some cases, people with weakened immune systems are advised against receiving vaccines.

Travel to some parts of the world requires vaccinations for diseases that are prevalent in particular regions. For example, when traveling to Brazil, Peru, or Venezuela (among others) the yellow fever vaccination is recommended.

You’ll need to research whether vaccinations are required for your travel destination and speak with your doctor about whether your body can handle those vaccinations. If the vaccination for a particular region is not required – only recommended – you’ll want to know what precautions you should take to avoid getting sick while on your trip.

3. Be Extra Careful Protecting your Skin

Chemotherapy and radiation therapy make a cancer patient’s skin sensitive to sun damage. This effect may be temporary or it could be permanent, so it’s important for cancer patients and survivors to take very careful care of their skin and avoid exposure to the sun. This means:

• Wearing strong (at least 30 SPF) sunscreen over your entire body
• Re-applying sunscreen every couple of hours or immediately after swimming
• Wearing a hat while outside
• Wearing light protective clothing to guard your skin from the sun

Remember that sun exposure doesn’t only come from above. When you are on reflective snow or water, your exposure can come from below and from all sides, so protect your skin from all sides.

4. Take Special Care of Medications

All prescription medications should be treated very carefully, which means keeping them with you in your carry-on, having enough to cover your trip (and a few extra days), and carrying a doctor’s note to explain the medical necessity of any special supplies like syringes, injection needles, and the like.

In addition, you’ll want to carry a copy of your prescriptions and your doctor’s contact information with you in case your medications are lost or stolen.

5. Take Precautions with your Health

General health precautions cancer patients – indeed anyone with a compromised immune system – should take while traveling include the following:

• To reduce the risk of blood clots, get up and move about every hour or so. See our tips on avoiding deep vein thrombosis .
• Stay hydrated by carrying your own water bottle and drinking fresh, clean water regularly. See our safe drinking water tips for travelers .
• Avoid germs and viruses by practicing good hand-washing techniques and making good food choices. See our tips on avoiding germs on vacation .
• Get plenty of rest while you’re traveling to keep up your strength and recovery. See our top reasons to get plenty of sleep when you travel .

6. Get Travel Insurance

Many people traveling with cancer believe they cannot get travel insurance. After all, they clearly have a pre-existing medical condition and travel insurance plans specifically exclude pre-existing medical conditions, right?

Well, yes and no. Travelers with pre-existing conditions can get coverage for their trips, including the right to cancel their trip, to interrupt their trip, and the ability to seek medical attention where they travel depending on a few factors:

• The traveler must be medically stable and able to travel when they buy their travel insurance and during the look-back period
• Traveler must purchase their travel insurance early – soon after their first trip payment is made
• The traveler must cover all their pre-paid and non-refundable trip payments in order to have coverage for cancellations

A traveler with cancer may want to get a signed and dated doctor’s note indicating that you are medically stable and able to travel. See our review of pre-existing coverage to understand the terms ‘medically stable’ and ‘look-back period’.

Even if you don’t qualify as medically stable, you should consider buying a travel insurance plan anyway. After all, if you slip and break your leg getting out of a boat in Ecuador, your medical care for that situation will be covered by your travel medical coverage because it is unrelated to your medical condition.

In addition, there are many travel insurance coverages that are not affected by the pre-existing condition exclusion – and each of these may be useful to you on your trip irrespective of your condition:

• Emergency Medical Evacuation and Repatriation
• Baggage Loss and Baggage Delay
• Accidental Death and Dismemberment
• Collision Damage waiver

If you are not medically stable and still want to travel, your best bet is to rely on your research of the destination and your doctor’s advice to stay as safe and comfortable as possible on your trip.

DamianTysdal

Damian Tysdal is the founder of CoverTrip, and is a licensed agent for travel insurance (MA 1883287). He believes travel insurance should be easier to understand, and started the first travel insurance blog in 2006.

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Free Vacations & Day Trips

Free Vacations & Day Trips for Cancer Patients & Families

For cancer patients and their families, time away from doctor appointments, therapy and the every-day stresses of life are so important.

Below is a list of programs to help you do just that. From camping retreats to beach stays to days of beauty, there is something for everyone here in this section for free vacations and day trips for cancer patients and families.

Find a program that speaks to you and then click the link to read the program’s eligibility, application process, and deadlines. Travel expenses to/from destinations are usually not included, however, be sure to check out the grants and transportation listings on our website for possible funding options.

When you’re diagnosed with a serious illness, it feels like your life is turned upside down. Worrying about treatment, managing pain, making lifestyle changes, and dealing with the financial stress can all take a great toll. Now more than ever, you need a break. Taking time out for yourself and spending some time with loved ones is achievable with the free vacations and day trips below. Please reach out to the programs that interest you and get the respite you so very much deserve. ❤️

Please report any errors in these listings here .

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Have we missed a great resource? Please let us know about it here .

Deliver the Dream Family Retreat

Description :

A fun and interactive no-cost family trip for those in the USA who have a family member who has been diagnosed with cancer. This three-day program covers lodging, activities, and all group meal expenses with indoor and outdoor recreational events, discussion groups, games, creative workshops, and teambuilding exercises. To register for the next free session, please visit the Deliver the Dream website here .

Camp Wieser Family Getaway

The Me-One Foundation sponsors the free Camp Wieser Family Getaway, a three-day family retreat to ease the distress a cancer diagnosis brings. Available to adult cancer patients in the USA and their families. Embrace beautiful surroundings and create priceless new memories together at zero cost for the entire family. For the next session and application, visit the Me-One Foundation website here .

Live By Living Retreats

Live By Living provides free retreats for adult cancer survivors and their caregivers in the USA. This nationwide, nature-centric respite includes activities like hikes, snowshoe outings, nature walks and more (customized to your physical abilities) and provides an opportunity to connect with other people who understand just what you’ve been through. To find out about the next session and register, please visit this link .

Harmony Hill Retreats

Harmony Hill offers free three-day cancer retreats to men and women with any type of cancer at no cost to either participants or companions. These retreats are designed to foster peace and wellbeing through group sharing sessions and other activities such as gentle yoga, meditation, poetry and art. To register for an upcoming session, please visit this page .

Faces of Courage Retreat Programs

Free retreat programs for children, young adults, men, and women in the USA with any cancer at any stage. These programs encourage a sense of community support, offer fun activities, and are focused on thriving as a survivor. All programs are available at no charge to participants. For upcoming sessions and to apply, please visit this link .

Reel Recovery Fly Fishing Retreat

Reel Recovery is a national non-profit organization that conducts free fly fishing retreats. Men 21 and over in any stage of treatment, recovery, or in full remission from all forms of cancer are eligible to attend. All meals, lodging and fly-fishing equipment are provided at no cost. Participants are responsible for their own transportation to and from the Retreat. To view the next session and apply, please visit this link.

Camp Good Days SOAR Retreat

A free weekend retreat by Camp Good Days for all men and women 18 and older who have been diagnosed or treated for cancer within the last 10 years. Provides an opportunity for fun, fellowship and activities inclusing fishing, arts & crafts, and general wellness. To apply for the next session of this free weekend program, please visit this link .

Camp Mak-A-Dream

Free, medically supervised retreats in Montana that offers experiences to individuals and families affected by cancer. Unique opportunities and programs for kids and adults. All expenses except travel to and from the retreat are included. For help on travel costs, please see our transportation and grant sections. Camp Mak-A-Dream accepts participants who are in or out of treatment. For more on the programs and to apply, please visit this page .

Look Good Feel Better

A fun, supportive virtual program available nationwide that teaches beauty techniques to women with cancer to help manage the appearance-related side effects of cancer. The program includes lessons on skin and nail care, cosmetics, wigs and turbans, accessories and styling and is open to all women with cancer who are undergoing treatment. To locate a convenient program session, please visit the program finder here .

The Moyer Foundation’s Camp Erin

Camp Erin provides kids 6-17 who’ve lost someone significant in their lives with a supportive weekend camp that includes outdoor activities as well as grief education and emotional support, free of charge for all families. Camps are available nationwide. For more on Camp Erin and to locate a camp near you, please visit the website link here .

Camp Kesem offers free, week-long summer camp sessions to kids age 6-18 nationwide whose parent has been diagnosed with cancer, is undergoing treatment, or has lost their life to this disease. Activities include arts and crafts, sports, and water/adventure activities. Camp Kasem provides “a community of children with similar experiences, and a safe and welcoming environment to have fun and rediscover their childhood.” To locate a camp near you, please visit this page .

Inheritance of Hope

Offers all-expense paid Legacy Retreats to families whose children are facing the loss of a parent. Retreats offer opportunities for families with children under the age of 18 create lasting memories as well as tools to cope with a parent’s terminal illness. For information on the many family retreat options, please visit this page .

Stowe Weekend of Hope

A once-a-year weekend-long retreat for cancer patients, families, and caregivers that offers support and education to help manage this disease. From the website, “The goal of the Stowe Weekend of Hope is to provide a low- or no-cost opportunity for cancer survivors, their families, and caregivers, with access to education, healing, and support throughout a weekend-long retreat in Stowe, Vermont.” For retreat schedule and more information, please visit this link on their website .

Epic Experience

Free one-week outdoor adventures to individuals 18 years of age and older who have been diagnosed with cancer at any time in their lives. All expenses except travel are covered. Check our Transportation and Housing section for possible travel funding. The application for Epic Experience is available online here .

Jack and Jill Foundation (JAJF)

The Jack and Jill Foundation sponsors free adventures for children whose parent have been diagnosed with a late-stage cancer. As per the website, “JAJF gives families an indispensable, cherished timeout from their cancer… as prescribed by Oncologists.” This program requires a referral by an oncologist. For more information, please visit the referral form here .

For Pete's Sake Cancer Respite Foundation

For Pete’s Sake Cancer Respite Foundation provides adult cancer patients in active treatment and between the ages of 24-55 with the chance to spend carefree time with their family in a beautiful setting free of charge. Preference is given to people residing in PA, NJ, DE, NY and MD but those outside of this area will also be considered. For eligibility and application, please visit this page .

Cruising Against Cancer

If selected, Cruising Against Cancer will provide a free vacation cruise for a cancer survivor and one guest. Limited space available. To apply and to learn about terms and conditions of this program, please visit this page on the Cruising Against Cancer website  and download the PDF application.

Great Trips Begin With Planning

If you have been dreaming of new experiences, this is the travel organizer for you. Create your detailed travel plan, include your itinerary, packing list, housing info and much more. Fun stickers and an idea board help you visualize all of the amazing possibilities. Your travel dreams start here!

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Don't Miss These Free Programs and Services:

Free Grants for Patients & Families

National grant programs for cancer patients and families in the USA. Cancer grants range from $200 to $5000 or more. Financial assistance for cancer patients is available nationwide from these nonprofit charity organizations. […]

Free Care Packages

Living with cancer brings many difficulties. These free care packages are custom made for cancer patients and thoughtfully put together to let people know they are not alone in this journey. We hope you find a free cancer care package within these listings that brightens your day. […]

Free Prescriptions For Cancer Patients

Free programs sponsored by drug companies, doctors, patient advocacy organizations, and civic groups to help low-income and uninsured patients get free or low-cost brand name medications and […]

Premiums, Copays, Deductibles

This page was originally published January 9, 2018 and updated April 7, 2024.This page was originally published January 9, 2018 and updated April 19, 2024.This page was originally published January 9, 2018 and updated May […]

All the these are doing remarkable work! I have personally volunteered for hopekids and the smiles these little things put on those kids faces is priceless.

Hi Jordon! It’s wonderful you are donating your time to such a worthy organization. Thank you!

My cousin has always wanted to go on a cruise with his father and because of the immense medical bills his parents had to bare due to his battle with cancer, they never really got the chance. It is for all age groups, correct?

Hi Karen! I’m sorry to hear of your cousin’s struggle. Cancer can be so expensive. Programs like these really can provide a small respite. At this time all ages are eligible to apply. Be sure to check the link, though, to make sure this hasn’t changed.

My father is 87 and my mother 96, my father has terminal cancer and I am his primary care giver. Are there any programs for elderly patients who desperately need a vacation. We are in Minnesota but his entire family is in South Carolina. I would like to find a place that offers retreat with care? If it is out there.

Thank you for reaching out. Many of the listings above for free vacations for cancer patients have medical supervision; just contact each program for availability. Also you might want to visit the free travel programs and no-cost grants that may be able to help with transportation. All the best to you and your family.

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A Guide to Travel Insurance for Cancer Patients

When you have cancer, what can travel insurance cover?

The benefits you receive depends on the type of plan you buy. You can see all available travel insurance plans here , or get a quote to easily compare plans and pricing. That being said, here are some of the situations in which travel insurance can protect cancer patients.

• You have to cancel your trip because of your cancer diagnosis. Trip cancellation benefits can reimburse you for pre-paid, nonrefundable travel expenses if you must cancel your trip for a covered reason. One common covered reason is when you or your travel companion suffer an illness, injury, or medical condition that’s disabling enough to make a reasonable person cancel their trip. Remember that a doctor must advise you (or your traveling companion) to cancel your trip before you cancel it — or, if that’s impossible, within 72 hours of the decision to cancel.
• You have to cut your trip short because your illness gets worse. If you’re already on your trip, and you become too ill to travel, trip interruption benefits can reimburse you for your unused, pre-paid and nonrefundable travel expenses. This benefit can also pay reasonable transportation expenses to continue your trip or return home. It can even pay additional accommodation and transportation expenses (up to the stated limit) if the interruption forces you to remain at your destination for longer than you’d planned.
• You suffer an unexpected medical emergency while traveling. Emergency medical/dental benefits can reimburse you for the cost of emergency medical care you receive while traveling for a sudden, unexpected illness, injury, or medical condition that could cause serious harm if it is not treated. The key words here are sudden and unexpected . Travel insurance can’t cover your medical emergency if it’s an expected complication of your cancer diagnosis or treatment.

Also, please understand that travel insurance can’t pay for planned medical expenses if you travel overseas to obtain treatment for cancer (or any other condition). Travel insurance will not pay for any non-emergency care, elective care, long-term care or experimental treatments, among other exclusions listed in your policy.

How can travel insurance help if a family member is diagnosed with cancer?

What if someone in your family is diagnosed with cancer right before you’re about to leave on a week-long vacation? There’s no way you’re going to leave their side — but your resort’s cancellation policy says clearly that no refunds will be given.

In situations like this, travel insurance can help. If a family member who’s not traveling with you develops an illness, injury, or medical condition that’s considered life-threatening or requires hospitalization, that can be a covered reason for trip cancellation. The same is true for trip interruption — if you’re already on your trip when a family member becomes seriously ill, then trip interruption benefits can pay for your transportation home, as well as reimbursing you for unused trip costs.

Read more: How Travel Insurance Covers Family Members

What if you’re diagnosed with cancer after you purchase travel insurance?

Let’s say you book a Mediterranean cruise for yourself and your spouse to celebrate your 25th wedding anniversary. You also purchase travel insurance to protect the trip. Six months later, a routine mammogram detects a lump in your breast, and you’re diagnosed with stage-2 breast cancer. You must undergo surgery and radiation, which means you won’t be able to go on your long-awaited cruise.

Travel insurance with trip cancellation benefits can be invaluable in situations like this, when you’re facing a cancer diagnosis. If your symptoms (or the side effects of treatment) are disabling enough to make you cancel your trip, and if your doctor advises you to cancel it, then trip cancellation benefits can reimburse you for your prepaid, non-refundable trip expenses. That way, you can reschedule the cruise for after you’ve recovered — and the sea breezes will be even sweeter.

Related Articles

• Travel Emergency Medical Insurance Explained
• Travel Insurance with Emergency Medical Benefits
• Travel Insurance 101: Covered Illnesses

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Kate Middleton’s Cancer Diagnosis: Everything We Know So Far

The Princess of Wales said she is "getting stronger every day" after announcing her cancer diagnosis in a video message

Rebecca Aizin is an Editorial Assistant at PEOPLE. She has been working at PEOPLE since 2023. Her work has previously appeared on Elle, HGTV and Backstage. 

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Kate Middleton 's cancer diagnosis came as a "huge shock" to the royal, as well as the rest of the world.

The Princess of Wales revealed she is undergoing preventative chemotherapy in a personal video message shared on March 22. The news came after weeks of speculation regarding Kate's health following her "planned abdominal surgery" in January.

"In January, I underwent major abdominal surgery in London, and at the time, it was thought that my condition was non-cancerous," she said in the emotional video, sharing that after she underwent tests following the surgery, it was determined that "cancer had been present."

Prior to her announcement, Princess Kate had largely remained out of the public eye, though she and Prince William were recently filmed by a local resident while  shopping in Windsor . The princess shared in her video that she and William were managing her health privately "for the sake of [their] young family" as they tried to find an "appropriate" way to tell their children, Prince George ,  Princess Charlotte and  Prince Louis .

“It has been an incredibly tough couple of months for our entire family, but I’ve had a fantastic medical team who have taken great care of me, for which I am so grateful," she said in her video.

From how Prince William and the royal family have been supporting her to when she might return to royal duty, here's everything we know so far about Kate Middleton's cancer diagnosis and treatment.

Kate’s condition was thought to be non-cancerous when she underwent major abdominal surgery

Tristan Fewings/Getty Images

When Kate underwent "major abdominal surgery" in January, doctors originally believed her condition to be non-cancerous.

Kate received her surgery at The London Clinic, where she stayed for 13 days during her recovery. Upon her release, the palace issued a statement with an update that she was " making good progress ."

“The Princess of Wales has returned home to Windsor to continue her recovery from surgery. She is making good progress," Kensington Palace said in a statement. “The Prince and Princess wish to say a huge thank you to the entire team at The London Clinic, especially the dedicated nursing staff, for the care they have provided."

She was diagnosed with cancer following tests after her surgery

Chris Jackson/Getty 

Though the abdominal surgery was successful, Kate underwent tests after the operation, during which doctors discovered that "cancer had been present."

Around the same time, on Feb. 5, the palace announced that King Charles was diagnosed with cancer following treatment for a benign prostate enlargement .

"His Majesty has today commenced a schedule of regular treatments, during which time he has been advised by doctors to postpone public-facing duties. Throughout this period, His Majesty will continue to undertake State business and official paperwork as usual," the statement said.

King Charles and Queen Camilla were subsequently informed of Kate's cancer news.

The type of cancer has not been made public

Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty

Kate did not specify which type of cancer she has been diagnosed with in her video.

Following her announcement, a Kensington Palace spokesperson said, "We will not be sharing any further private medical information. The Princess has a right to medical privacy, as we all do."

Kate is in the early stages of preventative chemotherapy

Following her diagnosis, Kate was advised to begin chemotherapy, she explained.

“Tests after the operation found cancer had been present. My medical team therefore advised that I should undergo a course of preventative chemotherapy and I am now in the early stages of that treatment," she said.

The princess did not, however, elaborate on when started her treatment or how long it is expected to last.

She and William took time to find the “appropriate” way to inform their children

Chris Jackson/Getty

The Princess of Wales shared that it was important to her to take the time not only to process the diagnosis, which came as a "huge shock," but also to explain the situation to her three children : George, Charlotte and Louis.

“This of course came as a huge shock, and William and I have been doing everything we can to process and manage this privately for the sake of our young family," she said. "As you can imagine, this has taken time. It has taken me time to recover from major surgery in order to start my treatment."

"But, most importantly, it has taken us time to explain everything to George, Charlotte and Louis in a way that is appropriate for them, and to reassure them that I am going to be ok," she added.

The princess may have strategically waited until the children were off from school to make her announcement. George, Charlotte and Louis all attend the Lambrook School, which was on a half-term break, giving the family private time together following Princess Kate's announcement.

William has been a “great source of comfort” to Kate

Following the news of Princess Kate's planned surgery back in January, PEOPLE reported that William was expected to postpone some engagements  to be by Kate’s side. The following day, he was photographed driving himself to visit Kate at the hospital .

The prince continues to support the princess amid her cancer treatment, as Kate reiterated in her video message.

“Having William by my side is a great source of comfort and reassurance too," she said. "As is the love, support and kindness that has been shown by so many of you. It means so much to us both."

A Kensington Palace spokesperson confirmed to PEOPLE that following Kate's cancer diagnosis announcement, Prince William will continue official duties while balancing his work responsibilities and family life.

"The Prince will continue to balance supporting his wife and family and maintaining his official duties as he has done since the start of the year," the spokesperson said.

In May 2024, one of the royals' go-to designers, Amaia Arrieta told The Telegraph that she was concerned for the royal couple as they dealt with Kate's diagnosis.

"I'm heartbroken at the moment. I think they are going through hell," she said. "I hope they will be back. It's really personal."

Kate is “getting stronger every day”

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The princess concluded her video message with a beacon of hope, sharing that she continues to gain strength.

"I am well and getting stronger every day by focusing on the things that will help me heal; in my mind, body and spirits," she said.

She also included a message to other families who may have been affected by cancer, letting them know they are "not alone."

"My work has always brought me a deep sense of joy and I look forward to being back when I am able, but for now I must focus on making a full recovery," she said. "At this time, I am also thinking of all those whose lives have been affected by cancer."

The video concluded, “For everyone facing this disease, in whatever form, please do not lose faith or hope. You are not alone.”

King Charles is “so proud” of Kate’s honesty

As King Charles undergoes treatment for his own diagnosis, he is " so proud of Catherine for her courage in speaking as she did," a Buckingham Palace spokesperson told PEOPLE.

Both the monarch and Kate were hospitalized at The London Clinic in January and Charles has "remained in the closest contact with his beloved daughter-in-law throughout the past weeks," the spokesperson added.

He and Queen Camilla “will continue to offer their love and support to the whole family through this difficult time."

It is unknown when Kate will return to royal duty

Pool/Max Mumby/Getty

Although Kensington Palace initially announced after Kate's surgery that she was expected to return to royal duties after Easter, it remains unclear when she'll return following her cancer diagnosis.

According to a palace spokesperson, the princess will make her official return based on advice from her doctors as she undergoes chemotherapy.

"The Princess will return to official duties when she is cleared to do so by her medical team. She is in good spirits and is focused on making a full recovery," the spokesperson told PEOPLE.

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Olivia Munn put cancer treatment on hold to freeze embryos with John Mulaney before hysterectomy

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Olivia Munn froze her eggs before beginning her “aggressive” breast cancer treatment — and ultimately undergoing a hysterectomy .

The actress told Vogue she wanted to retrieve “a few more” after her diagnosis in order to “make one embryo” with her boyfriend, John Mulaney.

“John and I talked about it a lot, and we don’t feel like we’re done growing our family, but didn’t know if I would have to do chemotherapy or radiation,” she explained in an interview published Sunday, with the magazine noting that the treatment would put her body in menopause and affect future fertility.

Munn, 43, shared that she put her treatment on hold despite the dangers of pumping herself with hormones for an egg retrieval, hoping for a “good month.”

The risk resulted in “two healthy embryos.”

The “Newsroom” alum, who previously froze eggs at age 33 and age 39, said that she and Mulaney, 41, “just started crying” over the good news.

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“It was just so exciting because not only did we get it in one retrieval, but it also meant that I didn’t have to keep putting myself at risk,” she recalled. “It was just amazing.”

Munn and the comedian welcomed their son , Malcolm, in November 2021.

The “Predator” star was diagnosed with breast cancer diagnosis in April 2023, waiting until March of the following year to go public with the health scare.

She told her Instagram followers about the ordeal in a lengthy post, detailing her double mastectomy and medically induced menopause .

“I’m lucky,” Munn wrote at the time. “We caught it with enough time that I had options.”

Mulaney honored his partner with an Instagram tribute at the time, gushing, “Thank you for fighting so hard to be here for us. Malc and I adore you.”

The duo began dating in 2021 in the wake of Mulaney’s divorce from his wife of six years, Anna Marie Tendler.

News broke of Munn’s pregnancy in September of that same year.

Tendler, for her part, has moved on with chef Nicholas Tran , Page Six reported in February.

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Husband and Wife Both Receive Heartbreaking Cancer Diagnoses

Shari Martin thought she had already heard all the bad news she could bear when she was diagnosed with breast cancer in April 2015. That is, until she found out that her husband of seven years, Shad, had cancer as well just several weeks later.

This was the second time Shad had been diagnosed — he had been in remission after receiving aggressive treatment for colorectal cancer in 2014. But this time, it had returned in his liver just as Shari was finishing up her first round of chemotherapy.

"My mom was horrified," Shari said. "My family just supported us through one really tough cancer treatment, so nobody could really believe it was happening again."

The couple, who met 13 years ago, are staying as close as possible, and receive their treatments together in a private room at Cedars-Siani Medical Center.

"It's a really surreal experience when you look across the room, your husband has a chemo IV in, and you have a chemo IV in, and you're young," Shari shared. "It's very surreal but for me, it fortifies my relationship with him. To see him taking it in stride, makes me realize, 'OK, I've got to take this in stride, too.'"

But despite their current situation, Shari, 43, and Shad, 44, are staying strong and focusing on getting healthy again — for their marriage and for their 4-year-old daughter, Alana. They recently bought her a book about cancer to help her understand what is happening to her parents. And while Alana recognizes they're both sick, she isn't viewing them any differently so far.

"I shaved my head because I didn't feel like dealing with it falling out anymore. She [Alana] put headbands on me, tied a little ribbon around my head, and she said 'You look so pretty.' She got it that this was a time to help me feel good and she did it in her little 4-year-old way, which was so remarkable to me."

The couple are very optimistic because both their cancers are curable. In fact, they are planning on taking a tropical vacation sometime in 2016 to celebrate completing their chemotherapy. Until then, the family is taking one step at a time.

"I don't feel alone because I'm literally not going through it alone. It just solidifies your strength because you want to be strong for yourself, and you also want to be strong for the other person."

[via: ABC News ]

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3 surfers from Australia and the U.S. were killed in Mexico's Baja California. Here's what we know.

Updated on: May 7, 2024 / 4:08 PM EDT / CBS/AP

Two Australians and an American were doing what they loved on the stunning, largely isolated stretch of Baja California's Pacific coast. Their last images on social media showed them sitting and gazing at the waves.

What happened to end their lives may have been as random as a passing pickup truck full of people with ill intent. The  surfers were shot in the head , their bodies dumped in a covered well miles away. Here's what we know:

Who were the victims?

Brothers Jake and Callum Robinson from Australia and American Jack Carter Rhoad had apparently stopped to surf the breaks between Punta San José, about 50 miles south of Ensenada, and La Bocana, further north on the coast.

Callum Robinson's Instagram page showed several images from the trio's Mexico trip: enjoying beers with their feet up in a bar, lazing in a jacuzzi, eating roadside tacos, looking out at the surf.

Callum, who was six-foot-four, had played in the U.S. Premier Lacrosse League, which left a  message on its website  saying the lacrosse world was "heartbroken by the tragic loss" of the trio.

"We offer our hearts, support and prayers to the Robinson and Rhoad Families, as well as all who loved Callum, Jake and Jack," it said.

On social media, his devastated girlfriend shared a black and white photo of the couple kissing, with the message: "You are one of one. I will love you forever."

In another photo she shared, in which the two can be seen embracing,  she wrote: "My heart is shattered into a million pieces. I don't have the words right now."

Jake Robinson was a doctor in Perth, according to Australian media.

Rhoad was engaged and set to marry Natalie Weirtz on Aug. 17 in Columbus, Ohio, according to a  Zola  online wedding registry. A GoFundMe which was launched to "rally support for Natalie" had raised over $57,000 as of Tuesday morning.

"In the wake of the heartbreaking loss of Carter Rhoad, Callum Robinson, and Jake Robinson, our hearts ache with grief for their families, friends, and community," reads a separate GoFundMe set up for Rhoad's family.

What happened to them?

The three friends were attacked there on April 28 or 29.

As soon as police arrived at their last known camp site, it was clear that something had gone violently wrong.

There were bloodstains and marks "as if heavy objects had been dragged," leading to suspicions of an attack, the Baja California state prosecutor's office said in an attempt to reconstruct the scene.

Chief state prosecutor María Elena Andrade Ramírez described what likely would have been moments of terror that ended the trip for the three men.

She theorized the killers drove by and saw the foreigners' pickup truck and tents and wanted to steal the truck's tires and other parts. But "when (the foreigners) came up and caught them, surely, they resisted."

She said that's when the killers would have shot the men. She said they were likely not attacked because they were tourists. "The evidence suggests they (the killers) did not know where they were from."

Andrade Ramírez said the reconstruction of events was based on the forensic examiner's reports, noting all three had bullet wounds to the head.

There was a hurried attempt to destroy evidence. The foreigners' tents were apparently burned. The pickup truck was driven miles away and burned. The assailants' truck was later found with a gun inside.

Then, at "a site that is extremely hard to get to," the bodies were dumped into a well about 4 miles (6 kilometers) away. Investigators were surprised when, underneath the bodies of the three foreigners, a fourth body was found that had been there much longer.

"They had to have previous knowledge of it," Andrade Ramírez said of the attackers, acknowledging the possibility they were behind the previous killing.

The well had been covered with boards. "It was literally almost impossible to find it," Andrade Ramírez said. It took two hours to winch the bodies out.

Who are the suspects?

Prosecutors have said they were questioning three people in the killings. Two were caught with methamphetamines. One of them, a woman, had one of the victims' cellphones when she was caught. Prosecutors said the two were being held pending drug charges but continue to be suspects in the killings.

A third man was arrested on charges of a crime equivalent to kidnapping, but that was before the bodies were found. It was unclear if he might face more charges.

The third man was believed to have directly participated in the killings. In keeping with Mexican law, prosecutors identified him by his first name, Jesús Gerardo, alias "el Kekas," a slang word that means quesadillas, or cheese tortillas.

Andrade Ramírez said he had a criminal record that included drug dealing, vehicle theft and domestic violence, adding, "We are certain that more people were involved."

She emphasized that she could not discuss anything related to the suspects, or their possible statements, because that was not allowed under Mexican law and might prejudice the case against them.

Andrade Ramírez noted that the victims' families said the brothers and Rhoad had come many times to the seaside spot and never had any problem. This time, however, "there was no way to ask for help when the attackers showed up."

What's next?

In a statement to CBS News, the FBI said it "continues to work with our international law enforcement partners in resolving this ongoing situation" and has been in contact with the family of the American victim.

"While we cannot comment on specifics to preserve the sanctity of the investigative and legal processes, along with protecting the privacy of those impacted, we can assure you that we are assessing every tip. If credible, we will pursue those leads with rigor," the FBI said.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Tuesday he had requested an opportunity to speak to the brothers' parents Deborah and Martin Robinson.

"This is a terrible tragedy and my heart goes out to them. To identify these wonderful young men and they have been travelling in Mexico. We've been dealing with them through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. I've indicated that I wish to speak to them at an appropriate time of their choosing," Albanese told reporters in the Queensland state town of Rockhampton.

AFP contributed to this report.

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Turbulence ahead.

Passengers aboard a British Airways flight on Tuesday were bombarded by a lewd scene as a man and woman engaged in a heavy petting session beneath “a scarf.”

“But it was quite obvious, as an adult, what they were doing,” 26-year-old passenger Farrah reported to South West News Service

A packed plane including children reportedly endured several minutes of the couple “constantly at it” during the early morning flight between London and Dublin, with one traveler catching their romp on camera.

“I was turning to look at my brother every time I was speaking, and then I saw a lot of sort of vigorous movement in the other seats on the other side,” said Farrah, whose mother was also in tow. “It was very blatant. She was constantly — for 15 to 20 minutes of the flight — just constantly at it with the guy.”

“When they got told to put their seat belts on, it was very obvious that he was zipping himself back up and putting everything back in,” she told South West News Service. “It was just disgusting, to be honest.”

Farrah also described kids “running up and down the aisles” during the roughly one-hour flight.

“They just carried on, which was shocking because there were children on the plane,” she continued. “A couple of them looked like 5 or 6, and then maybe there were a couple that looked like they were 8 or 9.”

The aircraft, a cramped Airbus A320, was too small to escape the raucous scene.

“We had about 38 minutes of the flight time left when I noticed it. It was quite embarrassing for me to be sat with my brother and having to witness that,” she said. “It was one of the smaller planes, making it a lot closer than the bigger planes.”

A spokesperson for British Airways told SWNS in a statement, “Our cabin crew colleagues were not alerted to any issue on board. Had they been informed, they would have taken the appropriate steps to address it.”

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An American couple built a $1 million portfolio and retired in their 40s. Here's how they did it.

• Jim White retired at 43 with his wife after years of saving with a net worth of over $1 million.
• White said he wanted to spend more time with his family and valued having more freedom in life.
• The family moved to Panama and then traveled around the US while homeschooling their daughter.

Jim White started dreaming about retiring early when his daughter was born in 2010. Like many new fathers in the US , he took just a week off from his office job to spend time with his newborn.

"My heart broke," he told Business Insider. "I wanted to be with her as she grew up and felt like work was in the way."

White, who worked as an engineering manager for an IT company in Ohio, told BI he couldn't see how he'd be able to quit his job without being "filthy rich."

He came across a blog by Joe Udo called " Retire by 40 " in 2014. Udo, who was around the same age as White, detailed how he planned to retire early by aggressively saving and investing his 9-to-5 salary. If Udo could do it, White thought, maybe he could too.

They saved and invested better

White started researching the FIRE movement — Financial Independence, Retire Early — and pitched his plan to his wife, Lisa, who worked for a nonprofit.

The couple had already been saving but decided to ramp up their savings and investments. White was making $107,000 a year in 2014.

The couple had a net worth of $813,000 but started following the 4% rule , which says you should only retire early if you can live off 4% of your savings each year.

If they could build a portfolio of $1 million, they'd be able to use $40,000 a year on living expenses.

The couple built a portfolio of over $1 million

White said the main change he made was adjusting his investments.

"Although I had been socking away a lot of money into the 401(k) plan at work, I had just picked random mutual funds that seemed good because they showed some good performance in prior years," he added.

Analyzing his plan, he discovered one fund he was investing in was "very high cost" and switched from mutual funds to lower-cost index funds. By tweaking the funds he included in his plan, he told BI he saved around $65,000.

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The hardest part was waiting, White said. Once they'd cut their expenses and changed their investments, they had to wait for their savings to accumulate. They also started saving 60% of his pay and living off the rest.

They retired and moved to Panama

By 2018, they had investments, assets, and savings worth over $1 million, according to financial documents BI has viewed.

They sold their house for $267,800 in 2018 and rented a nearby apartment for a few months. White retired at the end of the year aged 43 — Lisa had already left her job.

With their newfound freedom, the couple decided to relocate to Boquete, a small town in Panama, because of its warmer climate. "I've lived in Ohio pretty much my whole life, and I can't stand the winters," White said. "We moved to the mountains of Panama, and it was 75 degrees every day of the year."

They sold their car and most of their belongings and packed the rest into a storage unit. The family moved with their daughter, then nine, in July 2019. They rented a three-bedroom house in a gated community for $1,100 a month and didn't need a car. "We'd walk every day," he said.

They started homeschooling their daughter, intending to place her in an international school later. But, they ended up homeschooling her for the three years they lived in Panama, because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

They lived off around $50,000 a year, slightly higher than anticipated.

The couple moved back to the US to travel in an RV

They moved back to the US in April 2022. Since October, the family has been traveling around Tennessee, Louisiana, Georgia, Indiana, Texas, and Arizona in an RV, which they bought but plan to sell after their trip.

"We've been spending incredible amounts of time as a family, just like I wanted, ever since," he said. "It's really been a dream come true."

When they're finished with their travels, they plan to move back to Ohio to give their daughter, who is now 14, some stability. "We've had our quality time together, and now she wants to spend more time with her friends," White told BI.

Lisa wants to live near family again and plans to return to work part-time.

For now, White is content to spend his time on hobbies like coding, learning Spanish, and writing his blog, "Route to Retire."

"Just because we're not working right now doesn't mean we don't plan to ever work again," White said. "It's just that we have that choice."

Watch: Millions of homes could flood the US housing market thanks to boomers

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On the Road to Recovery: Traveling for Cancer Treatment

A decision to travel for cancer treatment, and to manage the difficulties that come with being on the road, requires careful consideration.

ELIZABETH NODDIN spent months away from home to receive an experimental treatment for acute promyelocytic leukemia. PHOTO BY JUSTINE JOHNSON

Elizabeth Noddin received her first big shock when doctors diagnosed her with acute promyelocytic leukemia at the age of 22. She had gone to the doctor because she had started bruising easily, but she had just completed her fourth year of intercollegiate field hockey and felt perfectly healthy.

The second shock came when her oncologist suggested that she travel four hours from her home in Farmington, Maine, to receive her treatment at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. The standard of care for her condition — all-trans retinoic acid plus chemotherapy — produces cure rates in excess of 80 percent, but doctors at Dana-Farber were participating in a trial that seemed to generate higher cure rates while subjecting patients to less toxicity by replacing standard chemotherapy with arsenic trioxide.

“The prospect of spending several months in a distant hotel room depressed me almost as much as the initial cancer diagnosis. I was one school year away from my master’s in occupational therapy, and I had convinced myself that I could attend classes and maintain a semi-normal life while I was receiving treatment,” says Noddin. Her therapy at Dana-Farber entailed month-long treatments, every other month, for nine full months, starting in 2014 and continuing into 2015.

Noddin had plenty of company on the road last year. The National Cancer Data Base estimated that more than 250,000 Americans would travel more than 40 miles for cancer care in 2015. Most of them, like Noddin, did so in hopes of finding better treatment than they could have closer to home, but patients should not undertake such a choice lightly.

First, it’s important for patients to determine whether the facilities where they hope to be treated are within the networks of their health insurance plans — and, if not, whether their insurers are willing to cover the care.

Then, it takes plenty of research to determine when distant facilities are really likely to offer better care. Patients should also consider how they will find the (considerable) extra money they’ll need to pay for their travel and the (considerable) extra support they’ll need to maintain their spirits.

Luckily, for those who do decide to travel, there are resources designed to provide financial, emotional and practical support. Hotels provide free rooms, hospitals plan trips and offer counseling services, patient advocacy groups offer support groups and financial help, and volunteers cook meals via nonprofits such as the Heimerdinger Foundation in Nasvhille or Food Outreach in St. Louis.

“Going to Boston meant abandoning my normal life and leaving the people and things that gave me comfort at the very time I needed them most,” says Noddin, who spent most of her time in Boston staying for free at a Hope Lodge operated by the American Cancer Society (ACS). “It was a hard decision, but it turned out to be a good decision because I got great care, and because there is so much support available to people in my situation.”

WHY TRAVEL FOR TREATMENT?

The clearest case for travel arises when the desired regimen for a patient’s cancer requires a device, treatment or expertise not widely available. This can happen when a cancer is rare or when a technique like proton beam therapy — available at just 17 medical centers in the U.S. – is preferred. Patients also may travel – even if only for diagnosis and treatment recommendations – to large cancer centers to take advantage of multidisciplinary clinics.

In other cases, patients must research to determine whether traveling for care will be beneficial.

When a standard treatment consists strictly of medication, a patient might assume that every provider is about equally capable of administering it, but specialists may take a more nuanced approach. Take non-small cell lung cancer, for instance. In stage 2 disease, there are choices about which maintenance chemotherapy to use after surgery, and knowledgeable doctors will be aware of which is best supported by data from studies. In addition, any doctor treating later stages of the disease should be aware of the need to test patients for mutations that could make them eligible for targeted therapies. It can also help if doctors are acquainted with clinical trials for which patients might be eligible.

When the standard treatment involves surgery or radiation, a specialist who performs that treatment 100 times a year may do a better job than a generalist who performs it five times a year. To help distinguish between surgeons or radiologists, patients can ask for their success rates with the treatments in question. Patients may also want to consider where a doctor practices and what their patient volumes are, as well as whether the cancer center has been rated by state, consumer or other groups or recognized by a nationally accrediting body such as the National Cancer Institute (NCI), and what kinds of support services it offers.

Travel’s benefits are also uncertain when patients undertake it to participate in clinical trials. Up to half the patients in any given randomized trial will end up in the control arm and receive the standard care that they would have received at home — although sometimes these patients enjoy a higher level of monitoring because they are part of a trial; in addition, once a new treatment is proven to be working, patients in the control arm may be allowed to cross over into the experimental arm. Patients in either arm of a randomized trial can’t predict whether they’ll fare better than they would have at home, and outcomes are also uncertain when patients join non-randomized trials, which are usually more preliminary with less known about a drug’s effectiveness and safety.

On the quality-of-life side of the equation, patients must weigh the extended life they expect to get from better treatment against the time they’ll be spending away from their loved ones. Some will conclude that it makes more sense to be treated close to home.

“There are very few hard-and-fast rules that patients can use to decide whether travel is justified. Patients with a cancer diagnosis should probably visit a few places that specialize in their cancer and compare the treatments proposed by the specialists,” says Melissa Haglund, an intake physician for Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA).

“In some cases, the proposed treatments will differ substantially, and any patient who does some research and asks questions will have a good basis for choosing among them. In other cases, every practice will propose exactly the same treatment, and the question then becomes whether the patient thinks one practice will execute the treatment better or provide a better overall experience than the others,” says Haglund, who works at CTCA’s facility in suburban Chicago. “A lot of it comes down to the reputation of the center or just the gut feel about the quality and compassion of the provider and the services offered.”

Patients who wish to find a top treatment facility can go online to access comparative rankings from several organizations:

> consumerreports.org/cro/2013/01/how-to-choose-a-hospital/index.htm

> medicare.gov/hospitalcompare/search.html

> whynotthebest.org

> http://health.usnews.com/best-hospitals?ref=home.

want to focus on designated NCI cancer centers, which perform a large percentage of all the research that takes place in the U.S.. To learn more, they can visit cancer.gov/research/nci-role/cancer-centers.

A LOT TO CONSIDER

Once patients have decided to travel for treatment, their research is really only beginning.

“Confidence in your medical team is only one of the three big issues that patients need to weigh when considering where they should receive cancer treatment. The other two are the total cost of care and the availability of support,” says Wendy Griffith, senior social work counselor at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.

“It is very hard for patients who have just been diagnosed with cancer to truly appreciate just how long cancer treatment can last and how much it can strain their finances and their relationships. When people announce they have cancer, it’s common for people to come out of the woodwork and volunteer to help, but this enthusiasm tends to wane over time — as does the willingness of patients to risk being a burden on others by asking for more and more help. Is the neighbor who volunteers to drive your kids to school while you’re away really willing to do it for four months over the course of two years? Are you really willing to ask that of your neighbor?”

For patients who live far from family and friends, the lack of social support may actually make travel a practical impossibility, but Griffith says that most of the patients she has known do get the support they need. The key for them is to think realistically — before treatment begins — about how long they’ll be on the road, how long they’ll be debilitated by treatment, what help they’ll need and when they’ll need it. Patients (or a designated point person) then need to line up at least some of that help in advance, not only to get commitments from people while they’re eager to help, but also to let people control the extent of their commitment.

Thinking all of this through can be difficult, but patients can consult with their medical teams, including their hospitals’ social workers, for assistance in identifying potential barriers to care and strategies for overcoming them. There are also several tools online that help patients imagine the help they might need and secure and schedule everyone from traveling companions to cat sitters (options include CareCalendar.org, LotsaHelpingHands.com and MyLifeLine.org). General calendar tools can also help.

GETTING OUT THE WALLET

Harder still can be paying for treatment on the road. If a distant facility is out of a patient’s insurance network, the added costs may start with the treatment itself.

Walmart and Lowe’s have arrangements offering their employees no-cost knee and hip replacement surgeries at four U.S. hospital systems, plus travel, lodging and living expenses for the patient and a caregiver. In addition, Walmart covers certain other surgeries at the Mayo Clinic and five other hospitals, and Lowe’s covers heart surgeries at the Cleveland Clinic for its employees. But these companies may be the exceptions to the rule.

A 2014 study by the ACS's Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) found that, of 721 insurance plans available at the most popular silver level in the federally facilitated health care marketplace, 43 percent offered no out-of-network coverage.

“Often, when an individual has a form of cancer that requires specialized services, or lives in a rural area where an NCI-designated cancer center is not readily available in-network, the patient will file an exception with her health carrier in order to obtain some coverage for her treatments,” says Anna Howard, principal for policy development, access to and quality of care for ACS CAN. “Unfortunately, not all exceptions are granted, which means the patient can file an appeal (in which she may or may not prevail) or can attempt to strike a spot arrangement with the out-of-network institution (in which case the patient could be liable for thousands of dollars of cost-sharing). Even if the patient is successful in getting her plan to provide some coverage, she may be subject to balance billing by the treating facility, meaning that she will be asked to pay the difference between the provider’s charge and the amount the insurance company is willing to pay.”

“Many people are surprised to learn about the limitations of their insurance coverage,” Howard continues. “That’s why ACS CAN urges individuals shopping for coverage to learn more about what is covered. Our consumer resources are available at acscan.org/healthcare/learn.”

Moreover, medical costs are just part of the price tag for those who travel for cancer treatment. On top of regular household expenses, there are hotel, restaurant and airline expenditures to contend with — often when the patient, and possibly a loved one in the household who is acting as caregiver, have lost much of their normal income by taking a break from work.

Such obstacles might seem insurmountable, but there are places to look for financial help. Cancer center experts can negotiate with insurers and find whatever supplementary public or private treatment coverage a patient may qualify to receive. MD Anderson offers discounted airfare for patients and their families visiting the center from afar. Web tools such as gofundme.com can help patients (or their friends and families) raise money to cover treatment or supplementary expenses. Some hotels, airlines and other travel-related businesses offer discounts to people who travel for medical treatment. And at least one charity — Angel Airlines for Cancer Patients (angelairlinesforcancerpatients.org) — exists to do nothing else but provide free or reduced-cost flights for needy cancer patients. Some health insurance policies may pay some of the expenses of necessary medical travel, and some out-of-pocket expenses may be tax-deductible.

Perhaps the biggest single program to help traveling cancer patients comes from a partnership between ACS and Extended Stay America (extendedstayamerica.com/acs-partnership.html). The ACS began building its own network of lodging for cancer patients back in 1970, but was never able to meet all the patients’ requests for lodging, either with its 32 Hope Lodges or by teaming up with the individual franchisees that own most outlets of “chain” hotels. That all changed a couple of years back when Extended Stay America approached the ACS and offered to provide cancer patients with free or discounted rooms at any of its 629 hotels.

“The partnership has been a game changer,” says Kristen Solt, managing director of the Hope Lodge network. “We now have, from Extended Stay America each year, an extra 10,000 complimentary hotel rooms and another 10,000 rooms that are provided to ACS patients at a greatly discounted rate of $19 a night, providing more coverage in just about any city that’s large enough to sustain a significant cancer treatment center.”

A BRAIN TEASER

Even after patients line up the support and finances they’ll need for treatment on the road, they still face the challenges of planning and taking a trip while dealing with the side effects of cancer and its treatments, such as nausea or “chemobrain.”

Cancer can also create logistical hurdles for would-be travelers. Airlines sometimes refuse to transport people who appear to be dangerously ill unless they have notes from their doctors saying they’re healthy enough to fly. So, patients may want to see a doctor to determine if they’re fit for air travel, ask about any precautions they should take and perhaps get a note that explains their condition and asserts their ability to fly safely.

Some cancer centers that attract a significant percentage of their patients from far away help by handling logistical problems for patients. CTCA helps arrange flights and hotels for patients, meets them at the airport, handles their bags and transports them to their hotels and the hospital.

“This allows them to focus on their healing,” says Kim Piercy, director of guest services at CTCA’s Chicago-area hospital. “Nearly 100 percent of our patients from out of town take advantage of the program.”

Dwayne Bratcher is one patient who took advantage of that very program when he decided to travel for his cancer care. Bratcher, who manages a Publix supermarket in Florida, was diagnosed with breast cancer after a surgeon removed a lymph node from a painful knot of tissue under his armpit. He decided against his local oncologist after waiting a week for an initial appointment and then being told that it would take another couple of weeks to devise a plan for treating his advanced disease.

“I had no intention of trusting my life to someone who had no sense of urgency about my treatment, so I decided to look elsewhere,” Bratcher says. “Traveling from Orlando to Chicago 15 times was certainly harder than driving a few miles down the street, but I have no doubt in my mind that it was worth it. When your life is on the line, you go to the best.”

A Transformational Leader and Friend in Cancer Care

Ludmila brings warmth and compassion to the patient, treating each individual as important.

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Choosing a Dream Honeymoon Over a Lavish Wedding

With the cost of weddings on the rise, some couples are skipping big celebrations and prioritizing travel instead.

By Brianna Holt

In October 2023, Oscar Avilez Marquina and Luis Lopez, newlyweds from New York, flew to Europe to spend two weeks on a city-hopping tour between Nice, France; Paris; and Amsterdam. JetBlue had just launched direct flights to Paris from Kennedy International Airport, and the deal was too good for the couple to pass on.

“Going to Paris has always been a dream for me and for Luis as well,” said Mr. Avilez Marquina, 30, who is currently unemployed. “I’m so happy that the first time we got to visit, it was together because that’s going to become a core memory that we’re going to look back on for years to come.”

The decision to have a trans-Atlantic honeymoon is one the couple prioritized after eloping on Feb. 2, 2022, at the Durham Courthouse in Durham, N.C., with two friends as witnesses.

“We had talked about having a wedding and what that would look like,” Mr. Avilez Marquina said. “And after many discussions and sort of understanding the anxiety of having one, we decided to go to a courthouse and focus on what we really love to do, which is traveling and enjoying each other’s company.”

Ultimately, the cost of having a bigger wedding drove the couple away from the idea, with Mr. Lopez estimating a $60,000 budget for a larger party.

“That’s basically what my student loans cost,” said Mr. Lopez, 30, an accountant. “I had to ask myself, do I get married or do I pay my student loans? And is it worth spending that much money on something that’s only going to last a few hours?”

Instead, the couple combined their travel miles and spent a total of $2,000 on their honeymoon trip.

The average cost of a wedding in the United States last year was $35,000, according to the Knot . Also, the average student loan borrower in 2023 owed $37,338 in federal student loan debt, according to the Education Data Initiative . With persistent inflation , paying for a lavish wedding celebration has become financially unattainable for some couples. However, many others have found that splurging on a dream honeymoon is more affordable and less stressful to plan than an extravagant wedding.

While thinking about a wedding to her college sweetheart, Haley Black, a full-time content creator, decided she didn’t want one. Her childhood fantasy was not a huge wedding. Instead, she dreamed of traveling and seeing other cultures.

So, in November 2022, Ms. Black, her husband, Mon’Darius Black, and their eight-person wedding party traveled from Shelby, N.C., to the Greek island of Santorini for a nine-day trip that included a small wedding ceremony with group activities followed by a honeymoon full of excursions and sightseeing.

“We didn’t want to spend a tremendous amount of money on a wedding. We looked at it like it was more about us rather than other people,” Ms. Black, 25, said. “Some people do see that as selfish, and while we had concerns about that, what mattered most is how we wanted to celebrate ourselves.”

When the couple first started considering wedding venues, the cheapest option they could find was $25,000. Flowers alone were $10,000. The total cost of their marriage and honeymoon trip was a little under $9,000. “We both have student loans, and we weren’t willing to go into more debt over a wedding to appease other people,” Ms. Black said.

Erika Hernandez, a wedding and elopement planner and the founder of the Greatest Adventure Wedding in Seattle, said that combining an elopement with a honeymoon was becoming increasingly popular because of its affordability.

“A lot of times, the couple just wants to include something that they really love doing together, like something they built their relationship off, and a lot of times that is traveling and adventuring together,” she said.

Couples choose honeymoons over weddings for more than just the savings. Many of Ms. Hernandez’s clients prioritize travel because they want to avoid the stress of preparing for a big event, are too busy with work and children, or prefer not to be the center of attention. “People rather spend the money on an experience for themselves than dinner for a whole bunch of people,” she added.

After Muna Yowell’s in-laws threw her and her now-husband, Dr. Jose J. Vargas Alvarado, an engagement party, the couple realized that they didn’t want a wedding.

Ms. Yowell, a 27-year-old data analyst, said the engagement party was largely about socializing with guests. On Oct. 7, the couple, who live in Dallas, married at a local courthouse and spent the evening with loved ones at a friend’s apartment.

Ms. Yowell, who is Palestinian, and her husband, who is Guatemalan, said they both did not feel right about holding a big celebration when the majority of her family lives in Palestine.

They spent only $100 on their courthouse ceremony, leaving room in the budget for a much larger honeymoon.

A week later, the couple flew to Hawaii for a week. “We went all out because we knew we could,” said Ms. Yowell, adding that the $5,000 trip involved renting a private sailboat, snorkeling, a helicopter tour across Maui and indulging in a fancy dinner every night of their stay.

“I’ve always heard that when it’s your wedding, you barely even get to eat the food that you paid thousands of dollars for,” Ms. Yowell said. “I didn’t want that. We wanted to be able to soak up the moment and really enjoy it with each other.”

Skipping the big wedding and going on a more budget-friendly getaway may have its drawbacks. Family members may be disappointed that they will miss the special day. However, Ms. Black decided that the advantages of saving money outweighed a few ruffled feathers.

“I don’t want to diminish the importance of family when it comes to celebrating big moments because I do love our families,” Ms. Black said, “but them witnessing us getting married is not worth us going into debt over a wedding.” The Blacks used the money they saved to close on a home in 2022 in Shelby, N.C.

Weddings Trends and Ideas

Keeping Friendships Intact: The soon-to-be-married couple and their closest friends might experience stress and even tension leading up to their nuptials. Here’s how to avoid a friendship breakup .

‘Edible Haute Couture’: Bastien Blanc-Tailleur, a luxury cake designer based in Paris, creates opulent confections for high-profile clients , including European royalty and American socialites.

Reinventing a Mexican Tradition: Mariachi, a soundtrack for celebration in Mexico, offers a way for couples to honor their heritage  at their weddings.

Something Thrifted: Focused on recycled clothing , some brides are finding their wedding attire on vintage sites and at resale stores.

Brand Your Love Story: Some couples are going above and beyond to personalize their weddings, with bespoke party favors and custom experiences for guests .

Going to Great Lengths : Mega wedding cakes are momentous for reasons beyond their size — they are part of an emerging trend of extremely long cakes .