Bahamas, Cozumel & Alaska

The Great Escape Adventure gives us a way to escape the confines of cancer even if it is from a 4 wheel scooter. GOALL. These are well organized events and Denise has put her soul into this and we love her for doing this for stage 4 patients to enjoy life.  The hotels have been great and comfortable. The meetings are great, the private group must is fabulous. Denise is everything I need. I wouldn't change a thing about the escapes!!  I tell everyone about the great escape and what is coming up.   Thanks to all of you for such pleasant trips. You and your daughters always exceed my expectations.

Alaska Escape

I stumbled across this group on Facebook and Thank God I did! It has meant the world to me.... to be able to have this much fun with a group who understands were we are in life. It has been the most I have laughed since being diagnosed years ago.....feels great. The Great Escape Adventure has given me back a piece of my life that disappeared from my heart when I was told that I had cancer.... It showed me how to Go Out And Live Life and that the fun was still there and that I needed to just let go and enjoy it. It was amazing to be around others who are just like myself and who really "get" what we can go through sometimes. It was a first cruise for me and my son and I sure hope it won't be the last, I'm hoping I get to see the whole world some day with this AMAZING GROUP OF FRIENDS~

Bahamas, Cozume & Alaska Escapes

The Great Escape meant spending time with my dear friend all the while reconnecting with the old friends I have made on the escapes. I love the escapes & all the people. Hotel was amazing.  The organization is well organized.  Ice skating was superfun, baseball - superfun, all meetings are so good. Denise is fantastic, passionate and geniune. The Great Escape Adventure is Awesome! Always a great time!

Alaska Escape

The Great Escape Adventure meant 2 weeks without talking about scans, mri and testing and for my wife to travel and just enjoy life.  Great organization, great cause for people with stage 4. Great people.  But, I do love land. 

Alaska Adventure

This was an exciting time that had many laughs and great times. It was great to go with a group of wonderful open hearted and loving people. It was nice to sit back and enjoy the planning that was done for us!  Thank you for these wonderful memories.

Bahamas & Alaska Escapes

The Great Escape was a great place to create memories and a great vacation. The best part is the VIP treatment we get and the worst part is we have to go home!

Bahamas & Alaska Escapes

THANK YOU!  The upgrades and goodies were AMAZING.  I thought the ship prided itself in being clean. It was cleaner than many hotels that I've stayed in.  Hands down, the BEST crew/staff. I have to say I felt normal with this group for the first time since my journey with cancer started.  LIFETIME bonds.  The nightly group dinners were awesome!! I was so impressed with The Great Escape.  GOALL - Mission Achieved!!   Making bonds that can never ever be BROKEN!! Loved it!!

Alaska Participant

What a great organization.  Love, Love, Love the people.  I certainly met many wonderful people and lifetime friends! Everyone has a story and I wanted upbeat and found it!  I appreciated all the hard work and lots of time that is put in this organization. It was obvious. The hotel was great, the ship was great, the gifts were super, getting on the ship was super easy and the private muster was great. Now let's all live.

Bahamas, Cozumel & Alaska Escape

"TGEA does it again!  This is my 3rd escape. Once again, the hard work the founders and ambassadors put into making sure everyone is having fun, doing what they want to, and being taken care of is evident through all of the smiles, laughter, and the happy tears. I felt there was a perfect balance of personal time and optional group time. Carnival Cruise Line has taken care of our group. This would not happen with the thoughtful proposals TGEA presents to ensure all of our "escapees" are taken care of the entire time we are on board.  Age is irrelevant in this group. This time around, I was the youngest MBC thriver by a landslide. I felt just as welcome and important as the rest of the group. I also came by myself this time as well. Even though I technically traveled by myself, I never felt alone the entire week as I was surrounded by so much love and support from the group.

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Overall, I am so happy to be part of a group who understands what is going on without having to say a word about it.  Much Love!"

Bahamas & Alaska Escapes

Bahamas: "I can't say enough about The Great Escape!! It was such an awesome experience full of new adventures and making new friends!!! Go out and Live Life!! "  

Alaska:  The Great Escape Adventure was the trip of a lifetime! Not only seeing the beauty of the world, but spending time with my family & friends meant so much.  Thank you again to this wonderful organization, especially Denise!!

Cozumel Escape

"This was my first Great Escape. My trip exceeded our expectations on every level.  From my very first personal interaction with Denise, she demonstrated her care and concern for understanding the needs of our group, and the experiences we had while traveling confirmed at every step that she not only understood our needs but had to the keen ability and knowledge to know how to meet them. It was so wonderful that we literally felt like we became part of a family, and was hard to say goodbye. After this experience, I will be recommending The Great Escape to everyone I know with an interest in travel.  Can't say enough good things about it!"

Cozumel Escape

"The Great Escape Adventure was fabulous. Very well organized with obvious concern for the health and well-being of participants. There was as much together time as each participant wanted, but no pushy mandatory events. It was great to have other people to share some of the ship's comedy shows with and to go exploring with. There was flexibility in participation. The organizer and her daughters were truly kind, compassionate, humorous, light-hearted, and genuine. I really needed to connect with other people up against this disease in person and not just on facebook. If you can manage to try one of these cruises, you will not be disappointed."

Bahamas & Cozumel Escapes

Hope to see you on the next escape & everyone that was with us. Totally enjoyed every minute of it. Lots of laughs, tears, hugs.  Denise, you are a great advocate to do this job. Your daughters are great too. Thank you so much. Until next time, keep well & keep safe.

Cozumel Escape

"This was my first Great Escape Adventure, and it exceeded my expectations. My husband and I had a wonderful time. It was great getting to make new friends and enjoy time with them. I would highly recommend other Stage 4's join in the next one. There is so much flexibility, you can be as active as you want without feeling like you are a party pooper. Traveling with a group means there are usually others who want to go to a show or activity that you want to do, so you have friends to do things with. I was truly sorry when it ended, and am looking forward to another."

Bahamas Escape

"As I mentioned to Denise, I don’t know if my little family of 3 (or the 9 we brought) would have enjoyed it as much if we had gone alone. For me it was comforting to have support people surrounding me, even if all they did was say hello in the halls. I never felt like the pink elephant in the room, as bald cancer patients often do. My husband said our little Stage 4 community made it extra special for him. He enjoyed meeting other caregivers and not feeling like an outcast. And that fellowship was all created and sustained without the constant health complaints, whining and tears that seem to occur in our every day Stage 4 life.  Several months ago, after a year of aggressive and painful treatment, my husband and I jointly decided it would be better for us if I stopped treatment. I had the worst possible reactions to every drug I tried and every scan showed progression after progression.  My goal from my initial diagnosis was to feel as well as I can for as long as I can. Chemo, hormonal, and immune therapy made that very challenging. It is my belief, that in my case, cancer was far less painful and intrusive than any of the treatments I tried. So it made sense to go off all treatment and coast my way into hospice.  It was shortly after that, the decision was made that we signed up for The Great Escape.  This Escape became goal number one. I needed to hit my 50th birthday on this cruise, put my toes in the sand, swim in the water, and laugh with my family and friends.  I succeeded on all fronts and I will be forever thankful for Denise and her inspiring words to get me to this place.  ER/PR +, HER-, mets to lung, spine, bones, lymph and liver."

Bahamas & Cozumel Escape

"Thank you for the opportunity to meet so many people, I love them all and had the time of my life!"

Bahamas Escape

"Amazing bonding experience with those who "get it". A way to feel normal among your peers. Totally recommend."

Bahamas Escape

"Thank you for this. I did not understand the need for support in certain situations or to the extent that this trip has provided. There were women that were afraid to come alone but knew that they wanted to meet other women going through similar experiences and felt like there was a piece of relief that they were surrounded by people that “got it” and only wanted to give love and support.  I saw my friend be somewhere that did not make her feel out of place. She for a week was not an outsider. It seems like she was completely comfortable and with a group that she belonged. Around loving, caring, positive people. I can go home knowing she has found a group of friends that she can truly be herself with. She needed this and you are a true God Send for making this possible. I am forever grateful."

Bahamas Escape

"Hope to see you on the next Escape and everyone that was with me on this one. I totally enjoyed every minute of it.  Lots of laughs, tears and hugs.  Until next time. Keep well and keep safe."

Bahamas Escape

"Thank you again for organizing a great Escape of the Carnival Splendor!  Ben and I truly enjoyed our time together and with the group. We do both agree that we can never go on vacation without our mini again!  We were so happy to see her when we got home!❤️ Thank you again and until the next adventure!"

Bahamas & Cozumel Escapes

"I would just like to compliment Denise Perreault, founder of the Great Escape, for the fantastic job she has done in putting the first great escape together. It meant a lot to be able to meet with others in the same boat as I. It was a positive experience seeing everyone enjoying life as it was meant to be. I’m looking forward to many more adventures!"

Bahamas Escape

"The past 4 yrs have been very hard with no one to really talk with. I was hesitant to take this trip as I was not sure what to expect. Every minute was a joy. Our conversations were not depressing. They were filled with love, laughter, fun , smiles and understanding. I haven't seen such a calm joyful look on my face in many years. 

Even though I got bad news of progression this week, my goal is to keep in touch with everyone on board and to get ready to be on the next cruise. "

Bahamas Escape

"Thank you! This has meant so much to Becky & I.  Its helped her as well as me. Looking forward to many more and helping take some weight off your shoulders. GOALL is my new daily quote!"

Bahamas & Cozumel Escape

"Coming as a family member, The Great Escape Adventure gave me, not only the opportunity to watch my mom Go Out And Live Life, but to live life with her and create memories! 
5 stars! Would totally do it again!" 

Bahamas & Cozumel Escapes

"This opportunity came at just the right time . . . Living Life, meeting other women in my same situation with similar issues yet not focusing on the medical aspects. Very relaxing, good company, had a smile on my face the whole time. Can't wait until the next Adventure to hopefully see some of my new friends again!"

Bahamas Escape

"Recently took a Caribbean Cruise with The Great Escape Adventure. It was wonderful! It was obvious Denise and team bent over backwards to ensure every detail was taken care of. I can't wait to go on the next great escape!"

Bahamas Escape

"Had a wonderful time hanging out with my MBC sisters! Cruise was very well organized with lots of special touches to make it memorable. Can't wait to go on another Great Escape Adventure!"