Gathering of Wolves 2026: Nearly 200 Brothers, Four Days, One Wolf Pack
From September 10 to 13, 178 men affected by cancer came together in East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, for the fifth Gathering of Wolves. Five years in, GOW has become the largest cancer retreat for men in the world. This year proved why.
Four days. No one going it alone. Here's what happened in the woods.
Watch the Gathering of Wolves 2026 film, filmed, directed, and edited by Dave Rawson of Undertow Agency.
Getting there
Cost shouldn't decide who gets a seat at the fire. This year, 40 attendees received travel grants to get to GOW.
The brothers came from across North America and from the United Kingdom. Many didn't wait for the retreat to start: members organized meetups throughout the New York area before and after GOW, turning one trip into a week of connection.
The pack also reflected the full range of men we serve. Thirteen members of our Men of Color community and 21 members of our Adolescent & Young Adult (AYA) community were in the woods with us.
Four days in the woods
GOW is where men who have been carrying cancer quietly get to set it down for a few days, and do something they haven't done in a while: have fun.
This year, that looked like:
3 hot air balloons lifting brothers above the Poconos
A skydiving demo
27 tattoos inked on site
Returning favorites like campfires, archery, and the Cancer Camp Guitar Club
The keynotes gave the weekend its backbone. Greg Hiebert, JJ Singleton, Oya Gilbert, and GOW Director Jay Abramovitch each took the stage.
Taking care of the whole man
The fun matters. So does what happens between the activities. Our on-site mental health support team had roughly 125 conversations with attendees over the four days.
The pack also gave back. Members attending GOW donated 75 MUTC Care Backpacks to Lehigh Valley Cancer Center in East Stroudsburg, so patients there know the pack is in their corner.
The 2026 Danny Riggs Service Award
This year's Danny Riggs Service Award honored the late Mark Couthramels. His family accepted it in his honor, and we were grateful to have them with us at the retreat.
What's next
The Gathering of Wolves was built on a simple idea: men facing cancer are smarter and stronger as a pack than as lone wolves. Five years in, it keeps proving true.
If you want to be in the woods next year, the best way in is to join the pack now:
Become a free member and be first to hear about next year's GOW
Find a local chapter and meet your brothers before the retreat
Pack It Forward and sponsor a care backpack for a man in treatment
Open Heart. Warrior Spirit. See you at the fire next year!
Interested in next year? Email retreat@manuptocancer.org
