Just 35 years old, Lauren Huffmaster was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer, which subsequently progressed to stage 4. After what she describes as a period of despair, Lauren realized that she needed to do something to address the emotional and mental side effects that cancer had caused her.

“I will not live to die. I’ve got to start living to live and have a greater impact.” As a result, Lauren founded a non-profit organization called Adventure Therapy Foundation, whose mission is to minimize the emotional side effects of cancer, not just for the individual but for the whole family. Lauren tells us about the healing impact of adventure and the parallels it strikes with the cancer journey: “in adventure, we keep going because we expect something great in the end. We have to go through a lot of hard things to get there.”

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

When Jordan Vanzandt was diagnosed with stage 4 neuroendocrine cancer, life changed for her and her husband, Mike. Despite the innumerable challenges and obstacles they faced, they focused on the silver linings that surviving cancer provided for their family. In addition to learning to slow down, go with the flow, and enjoy the little things, they discovered they could find the positives in any situation—like treating road trips to appointments as date opportunities.

Jordan and Mike open up about the strength of their bond and the importance of an optimistic outlook on life. Their advice is to “try to make light of what you can. Find silver linings. You can find them, they’re there.

Bill Wardwell was diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) in 1998. Over the next decade, he endured chemotherapy, a bone marrow transplant, multiple recurrences, and several personal setbacks. In this piece, Bill shares the most difficult part of his journey: the feeling of facing cancer alone. He opens up about his darkest, most challenging moments and how he eventually found strength, support, and community.

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

When Scott Riebel was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2021, he and his wife Vickie had no idea how much closer the cancer journey would bring them. As Scott states, “You get a full grasp for how much you love and are loved by someone when you experience something like cancer.” In this episode, Scott and Vickie share the experiences they endured both together and individually as they navigated their way through Scott’s cancer battle. Vickie's advice to caregivers: “You have to take care of yourself too. Give yourself some grace. I’m important in this too and I need to be healthy physically, mentally, and emotionally.”

Caroline Thomas is a bladder cancer survivor and a mother of two adult sons. She shares the importance of being honest and transparent with her children about her cancer and how she kept the lines of communication open. Caroline says telling her sons was very difficult because “my role as a parent is to protect my kids and there was nothing I could do to protect them from this.” Despite how terrifying it was to share her diagnosis, Caroline is grateful she did.

Kerry Glass is the founder of Memories Live, a nonprofit that creates legacy movies for individuals with life-limiting illnesses. In this episode, Kerry discusses the process and benefits of building a 45-minute video so children, grandchildren, and others have something to remember their loved one by. From her experiences working with the cancer community, Kerry has learned that “survivors have an inner strength they never knew they had.”

Ted Roggenkamp is a throat cancer survivor who embodies the meaning of thriving. After going through surgery, chemotherapy, and 33 rounds of radiation, Ted could have let cancer take the joy out of life. Instead, he made the decision to show up with others by being ultra-positive, energetic, social, and present in the moment. Despite the darkness of cancer, Ted found the light by bringing his full self and “being a source of positivity for others.”

Cindy “Smokey” Polinsky and Leonard “Fox” Geraci share a unique bond as lymphoma survivors who have gone through the same cancer treatment. In the world of cancer, “fear of the unknown and what’s to come’ can significantly impact survivors in their daily lives. In this episode of Keepin’ It Real, Smokey and Fox open up about fear and how past traumas can play a role.