Along the Jersey Shore lies the modest, charming town of Ocean Grove. Its small-town feel and Victorian architecture seem a direct contrast to the stereotypical notion of a Jersey beach town. And yet this town, with its humble beginnings as a Methodist campsite in 1869, is the perfect location of another humble endeavor: Mary’s Place by the Sea, a place of respite for women facing cancer treatment.

Mary’s Place is in its third location, a gorgeous three-story building with long front porches that sits just a block away from the beach. There was a vacant lot at the time, which is astounding to me, given its location! And so the house was built specifically for Mary’s Place, opening its doors in 2016.

Jar of notes containing things for which guests are grateful. Photo by Beth DeLong

Sounds cute, but what is it?

Mary’s Place by the Sea was created to give women in cancer treatment a place of respite for a couple of days.

No cooking, cleaning, or washing dirty dishes!

I’m sure many of you — especially those with young children, or even just a husband — are already sold on the idea and are headed to the website to request a reservation.

The dining room where all the guests dine together. Photo by Beth DeLong

But wait! There’s more!

The services at Mary’s Place are designed to complement the treatment you’re already going through to provide some healthy, holistic approaches to your healing in conjunction with the wonder of western medicine. These practices include yoga, guided imagery, meditation, oncology massage, expressive writing, individual therapy, prayer, Reiki touch, reflexology, and nutrition information. (whew!)

You can do as many or as few of these services as you like. If you’d rather just come for the people, the food, and the beach, you’re more than welcome to.

But I do recommend taking advantage of a couple of the services. Where else can you try services like these for free? And who knows? You may find one that really speaks to you so you can continue utilizing it when you return home.

I participated in the nutrition information, yoga, guided imagery, meditation, and expressive writing while I was there, and I really enjoyed each of them!

The yoga was very gentle, we were all coming from different strengths and abilities, so don’t let those internet pictures of slim gals doing headstands deter you. You don’t need any prior experience with yoga to still enjoy the session.

The meditation and guided imagery were incredibly relaxing, and I was in a solid Zen mode for probably two hours after each session.

And even though I regularly journal, I still gained a few tips from the expressive writing session to add a more introspective aspect to my journaling.

So, who can go?

Mary’s Place is a center for women only; however, she can have (had) any type of cancer. Additionally, she needs to be within a year of having completed her cancer treatment, or within two years of diagnosis if she opted to not have treatment.

Those living with metastatic cancer are also welcome.

You can stay up to two days and two nights, which I highly recommend for the full experience. If time is limited, one-night stays are also an option. As an added bonus, if you live close to Mary’s Place (like NYC) you can visit as a day guest.

This is such an incredible resource for those living nearby! There was a day guest in my group because she wasn’t able to get in for a two-day stay before having her procedure done. But she could still attend for a couple relaxing sessions and some support before surgery.

Accessibility

Because this new building was specifically constructed for its purpose, considerations were made for those who use wheelchairs or walkers, or just prefer a little more space to get around.

There’s a ramp leading up to the front porch, and a spacious elevator inside to help you get to your room or the lower spa level. There are always a couple volunteers on shift, and one of them will be more than happy to get your overnight bag to or from your room.

My bathroom at Mary’s Place. Photo by Beth DeLong

I didn’t tour all the bathrooms, but mine was quite large and I imagine the others are similar. The showers have a low lying rim that’s easy to step over, as well as a built-in seat.

If You Like to Eat…

I am not even joking when I say the food at Mary’s Place is one of the perks! Chef Cathy does an absolutely phenomenal job!

Mary’s Place provides free breakfast and lunch for its guests. The meals are gluten-free and vegan in order to not only avoid food allergies for the guests, but also to provide nutrition during treatment.

I’m sure some of you are scrunching your nose at the idea of eating vegan for two days. But seriously, y’all, the food here is AH-MAZING, and you probably would never guess that that loaf of banana bread or those cute little carrot muffins are, in fact, vegan. You’ll just know they’re delicious.

Chef Cathy doing some food prep. Photo by Beth DeLong

Dinners are on your own, and there are plenty of options nearby. This is also a great time to hang out with your housemates. And yes, if your inner carnivore is screaming or you’re desperate for some non-vegan foods (ice cream, anyone?) then this is a good chance to fill that void.

Other Things to Note

Parking in Ocean Grove can be pretty tight, especially in summer. If you live nearby, you may want to consider having a family member or friend drop you off the first day and pick you up at the end. There’s also a train station in Asbury, about a five-minute taxi ride away, for those coming from the NYC area.

Coming from Ohio, I arrived the day before and stayed at The Majestic Hotel, which is literally across the street from Mary’s Place. That way I could drive in and just leave my car in one spot during my stay. I arrived in town around 4pm, which was good timing. The parking spaces fill up more in the evening when people come to the beach after work. (They’ll empty up later in the evening around 9pm.)

I will say, though, that the toll on the Pennsylvania Parkway is no joke. Holy sticker shock, y’all! It was $43 for me to drive from one end of Pennsylvania to the other, plus another $2.15 for the New Jersey extension of the parkway. So be prepared for that if you’re coming from the west. The parkway, though, was definitely convenient, and it saved me an hour and a half versus going a different route.

Final Thoughts on Mary’s Place by the Sea

There are actually only a few paid staff members at Mary’s Place. Even the individual and group services are provided by professionals who are volunteering their time. Another 120 volunteers (give or take) commit to usually a couple hours a week to help with check in/out, cleaning, and making your stay comfortable.

It literally takes a village to keep Mary’s Place going, and the volunteers and staff do that with absolute love and dedication.

Some of my housemates and fellow thrivers during my stay.

Speaking of a village, I love this story about the community support backing Mary’s Place by the Sea. It was towards the beginning of construction as the building was being framed and prepped for the concrete to be poured. The community, knowing this was to be a place of healing and named in honor of the Virgin Mary, often threw rosaries into the midst of the framework. Mary’s Place is literally built on the foundation of thousands of rosary beads as people prayed for and blessed this project. (Not gonna lie, I cried when I was told that.)

I cannot stress enough the feelings of love and support I had at Mary’s Place! In addition to the staff, it was incredible to meet several other strong cancer survivors and thrivers! Chatting online or meeting through my Facebook groups is one thing, but getting to meet other survivors and share our stories in person was a whole other level.

Mary’s Place by the Sea is probably one of the better-kept secrets in healing and recovering from a cancer diagnosis. If you have the opportunity to do a two-day stay with them, I absolutely, 200% recommend it!!

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