About Us

Send Me On Vacation (SMOV) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting breast cancer survivors by providing healing vacations that help begin their journey toward renewal. These experiences offer more than just time away—group vacations create space for emotional and mental restoration, allowing survivors to rest, relax, and rejuvenate with other survivors in beautiful destinations around the world.

By emphasizing the importance of self-care and empowerment, SMOV fosters both physical and emotional recovery, helping women regain strength, rebuild confidence, and rediscover joy after the challenges of cancer.

Through every journey, SMOV strives to create a lasting, meaningful impact—uplifting survivors and reminding them they are not alone.

Our Mission

Send Me On Vacation (SMOV) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to helping breast cancer survivors begin their emotional healing journey through transformative vacation experiences. By offering survivors the opportunity to rest, relax, and reconnect with themselves, SMOV empowers them to rebuild their lives after cancer treatment. These rejuvenating vacations focus on strengthening the body, stimulating the mind, and healing the spirit, promoting physical and emotional recovery.

As a resource-driven charity, SMOV has raised sufficient funds to send almost 1000 survivors and their families on healing vacations across 26 countries. Since its launch in 2011, SMOV continues to make a profound, lasting impact on the lives of breast cancer survivors, fostering sisterhood, hope, joy, and renewed strength.

Our Story

When Cathy Backus witnessed her close friend, Pam Horwitz, facing cancer for the second time, she was inspired to take action. Drawing on her relationships within the travel and timeshare industry, Cathy developed a plan to secure donations of unused vacation inventory—creating opportunities for survivors to step away and begin their healing journey.

Together with Pam, and with the unwavering support of her husband and “partner in giving,” Gene Backus, Send Me On Vacation (SMOV) was established and granted 501(c)(3) status in 2011. Since then, the organization has grown steadily, earning the support of generous partners and donors around the world.

In recent years, Heidi Lamprecht has emerged as a driving force in her role as Vice President. Over the past five years, Heidi has worked alongside Cathy to elevate SMOV’s impact—expanding its reach and serving almost 1000 women globally. Today, SMOV is both a local and global organization, supporting survivors in 32 countries.

Pam remains the inspiration of SMOV, grounded in the belief that stepping away—from treatments and the weight of everyday responsibilities while fighting for your life—creates the space to rejuvenate the body, mind, and spirit.

Our People

Send Me On Vacation is a resource-driven, all-volunteer, nonprofit organization powered by the generosity and dedication of survivors around the world. Every team member shares a deep commitment to supporting other survivors in need, and their unwavering support makes our mission possible.

We are profoundly grateful for the contributions they make each day—allowing us to continue creating meaningful, life-changing impact.

Through every journey, SMOV strives to create a lasting, meaningful impact—uplifting survivors and reminding them they are not alone.

Meet the SMOV Team

Cathy Backus, Founder

Heidi Lamprecht, Vice President

Leland Eugene Backus, Chairman/Secretary

Jeanette Bunn, Strategic Advisor

Pam Horwitz, Inspiration

Contact Us

Survivor Advisory Council

Our council is composed primarily of breast cancer survivors representing all stages, ages, ethnicities, and economic backgrounds from around the world—united by a shared desire to give back both during and after their journey to overcome breast cancer.

  • Cathy Backus
  • Heidi Lamprecht
  • Alice Santurri
  • Cathy Deering
  • Kathy Belanger
  • Christine Strange
  • Tabitha Adkins
  • Lori Khoury
  • Natalie Fluharty
  • Terlisa Sheppard
  • Jill Bonilla
  • Giulianne Reese
  • Anita Thaxton
  • Cyndy Bechtold
  • Jacque Marks

Board of Directors

  • Cathy Backus
  • Jeanette Bunn
  • Leland Backus
  • Paul Mattimoe
  • Pam Horwitz