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