Campfires of Hope

Nils Palsson is a father, author, educator, and testicular cancer survivor. Nils was diagnosed in 2021 and by 2023 was declared to have no evidence of disease. He describes his cancer journey as dance, not a battle. Fittingly, the memoir he is currently writing is titled Cancer Dancer.

For Nils, the hardest part about cancer survivorship was thinking about the “what if…” part of his future, something he calls “future tripping.” He’s saved from these thoughts by his daughter’s requests to go play, where he is reminded to be present in the moment. Nils gives us his own reminder to be alive, compassionate, and aware of the preciousness of life, and to “do it right now!”

Learn more about how Epic Experience empowers cancer survivors to live beyond cancer at www.epicexperience.org

Stephanie Luning was just 24 years old when she was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2005. Following surgery and treatment, she was in the clear for six years. Then, in 2011, her doctor noticed a suspicious spot on her regular scan. Stephanie details how she navigated getting several second opinions, all of which provided different options. With so much information to process and a very important decision to make, Stephanie relied on her own intuition, research, and trust in her doctors. After deliberating, she opted not to pursue treatment, which she learned was the correct decision when a subsequent scan revealed the spot was gone.

Stephanie advises getting a second, and sometimes third, opinion when considering a cancer diagnosis and treatment. “The first time you go through it, you go with your doctors because you assume they are telling you the best. But it’s always helpful to get someone else’s view on it to make sure they are on the same track, or if there’s something new. The more information the better.”

Learn more about how Epic Experience empowers cancer survivors to live beyond cancer at www.epicexperience.org

Manny De La Cruz was diagnosed with testicular cancer in January 2022. After several surgeries and four rounds of chemotherapy, he showed no evidence of disease in March 2023. 

Manny describes his cancer journey as “riding a wave”: every time something good happened, it was shortly followed by something bad. Through this wave-riding, Manny has gotten better at asking for help and leaning on others. “I had no idea how much I needed other people. But I had no choice, so I allowed myself to open up to others, which was probably one of the most difficult things to do.”

In September 2023, Manny had the opportunity to join 10 other TC survivors at an Epic Experience camp. Before that week, he had never met so many other TC survivors and was surprised at how quickly he connected with a group of men who truly understood what he had experienced. Manny intends to keep riding his wave and continue supporting his community through survivorship.

Learn more about how Epic Experience empowers cancer survivors to live beyond cancer at www.epicexperience.org

Gretchen Simpson was shocked when she was diagnosed with stage 2 triple positive breast cancer in early 2021. She ate healthy, exercised regularly, and had no family history of cancer. She was subsequently surprised by how much love and support she received from her friends and community throughout her cancer journey. Friends picked her up at 5 a.m. for the two-hour drive for treatment and doctor’s appointments, spent the day with her, cooked her meals, and supported her in the form of visits, texts, and cards. 

In the summer of 2022, Gretchen attended summer camp with Epic Experience and had a transformative moment in her life. She had been having doubts about her ability to participate in an activity, when she had a conversation that taught her that “it’s okay to try and fail.” That mindset changed her week and helped her embrace every activity. She also took that mindset home: “the permission to fail allows me to try new things. That opened up my life, my world, when I came back.”

Gretchen shared these words of wisdom for cancer survivors: “Cancer is life-changing but be open to the transformative process. There’s still much joy along the way. You heard about some of my hardships but there are so many majestic moments that happen with loved ones in the messy middle of cancer. You may have to find them, but they are there." 

Learn more about how Epic Experience empowers cancer survivors to live beyond cancer at www.epicexperience.org

Lena Rutherford was just 24 years old when she was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma, in the prime of her social life. After receiving the news, she left Chicago with a moment’s notice and headed back home to her family in Colorado, leaving behind her apartment and friends. There, she started six months of chemotherapy. During that time, she often felt lonely and isolated, partly because she was stuck in the house dealing with side effects and partly because she didn't have many friends in Colorado.

With the help of her family, Lena found ways to rebuild her social life during this time. Together, they put together a Team Lena email newsletter, created a blog site to share updates and express herself, and circulated T-shirts for loved ones to wear in support. Lena connected with friends through Facetime hangouts, participated in sports and recreational activities once healthy, and spent quality time at home with her pets. Perhaps most significantly, she became closer with her family and shared more emotions and experiences with them than ever before.

“When you go through something like cancer, you realize the small things are the big things. For me, knowing that people just cared about me and how I was doing made a huge difference. It can be isolating going through something that so few people have experienced themselves.”

Learn more about how Epic Experience empowers cancer survivors to live beyond cancer at www.epicexperience.org

Emma Reese was two weeks from her 28th birthday when she was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma in 2016. She had just been married the year prior and her daughter was six months old.

At first, she was numb to the news, but she pushed through and went into “go mode” because she had treatment to start and a baby to care for. After completing chemo and beating cancer for five years, Emma had a recurrence in 2021. Fortunately, she fought through it and has been in remission since 2022. 

The biggest challenge for Emma has been post-treatment survivorship, particularly the feelings of anxiety and of having no control over cancer. She started joining support groups and eventually found Epic Experience, whose mission is to empower survivors to live beyond cancer through outdoor adventure. She attended their weeklong camp in the Rocky Mountains this past summer where she learned that “Life can be unfair. You can let it keep you down or you can learn from it. This is out of my control, so I put one foot in front of the other and just kept pushing forward. You can do hard things. Reach out, you are not alone. There are people that love and support you that you don’t even know yet.”

Learn more about how Epic Experience empowers cancer survivors to live beyond cancer at www.epicexperience.org

Lana Boes, a.k.a Donut, was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2007 and beat it. After six years of being cancer-free, however, she was diagnosed with colon cancer. As chemotherapy treatment eventually stopped being effective, Lana began to lose hope--until she qualified for a clinical trial and miraculously went into complete remission. 

Despite having no evidence of disease, Lana didn't feel like the person she was before cancer. She decided it was time to get her life back. She sought counseling, found support groups, and attended an adventure camp with Epic Experience. She found validation in her feelings and comfort in being able to speak with people who understood being diagnosed with cancer. She learned to give herself grace, take care of herself first, and become more spontaneous.

Lana’s advice on the first steps to getting your life back: “It’s ok to show your emotion and not be afraid to get the help you need. If it helps you, that’s what matters.”

Learn more about how Epic Experience empowers cancer survivors to live beyond cancer at www.epicexperience.org

When Mike Scherer was 26, he was diagnosed with testicular cancer. After beating cancer, Mike and his wife, Megan, hoped to start their family. They went through infertility treatments during what became a difficult, isolating, and emotional journey. After two and a half years, they were happy to learn they’d be having a son!

The Scherers’ experience led them to found Worth the Wait, a nonprofit that assists cancer survivors facing fertility challenges and the expenses that come with them. Since 2021, they have provided financial support to over 40 survivors, enabling them to become parents. They detail some of their success stories and give guidance on navigating the fertility process both logistically and personally.

Mike and Megan have this advice for survivors facing fertility challenges: “It feels isolating but you’re not alone. It’s helpful when you’re ready to talk about it with other folks that have been through something similar. There is amazing power in community. Reach out, don’t do it alone.”

Learn more about how Epic Experience empowers cancer survivors to live beyond cancer at www.epicexperience.org

Ronald Bye, a.k.a. Big Hoss, was 20 years old when he discovered that what he thought was a hernia was actually testicular cancer. Being that it was the 1970s, diseases with a “sexual” connotation weren’t openly discussed, particularly by a young male. As a result, Ron didn’t tell anyone other than his family and boss about his cancer. He kept this secret for 30 years and shut down all emotion. He finally broke his silence on his 50th birthday and discovered how healing and powerful it was to finally talk about his diagnosis.

When he went through his cancer journey, Ron found there were often no answers to his questions due to a lack of research. As a result, in early 2023, he decided to donate his body to science upon his passing. He hopes to provide insight by allowing researchers to learn from his long-term cancer survivorship. 

In Ron’s words, “The more you share, the more you will gain.”

Learn more about how Epic Experience empowers cancer survivors to live beyond cancer at www.epicexperience.org

Nicole Gleason and Jared Scorsone are both part of the training team at BFitBWell, a cancer exercise program offered by the University of Colorado Cancer Center. They detail how the program works and how it improves strength, stamina, and quality of life for cancer patients during and shortly after treatment. In addition, they describe the mental and emotional benefits that exercise can have, including having a sense of control over one’s own health.

When asked where someone newer to exercise should start, Nicole and Jared advise, “Start small. Something is better than nothing, even if it’s just walking for a couple of minutes. Find something you enjoy. Consistency is key.”

Learn more about the BFitBWell program: 

https://medschool.cuanschutz.edu/colorado-cancer-center/for-patients-families/supportive-care/bfitbwell-cancer-exercise-program

Epic Experience offers free access to virtual Low Impact Training to the cancer community:

www.epicexperience.org/exercise-programs