[00:00:00] Speaker A: Foreign.
My name is Nancy Farrow, also known as Mama Lu and I'm the founder of Epic Experience.
Epic Experience mission is to empower adult cancer survivors and thrivers to live beyond cancer.
I hope that as you listen to campfires of hope you living beyond cancer, you find hope, healing and empowerment.
Through stories and education, we aim to guide those impacted by cancer and more importantly, offer love and support to anyone out there who needs it.
This is beyond cancer.
[00:01:14] Speaker B: So this is Laura.
Laura's gonna get hooked up.
Thank you so much.
You're good. Let me grab some of water.
[00:01:25] Speaker C: I know, I was going to say is your. Is your mouth dry yet?
[00:01:27] Speaker B: I'm good. I have my water. So thank you so much for joining us. If you can first tell us a little bit about yourself.
And I always ask people to give us one fun fact, so.
[00:01:38] Speaker C: That's right. I should have been prepared. I know this.
Okay. So my name's Laura and I'm an oncology nurse. I work in the bone marrow transplant, blood cancer arena And I have two little girls that are 6 and 8. I am married. We live here in Colorado.
I came to camp as a volunteer for the medical volunteer role in a winter camp in 2017.
And with having the kids, I haven't been able to come back for camp. But I was so touched that I have stayed on as a volunteer with the medical team and on the medical review board.
[00:02:14] Speaker B: I love it.
[00:02:15] Speaker C: And my fun fact is that I am double jointed and can really scare people with how far back I can bend my thumbs up.
[00:02:23] Speaker B: Okay. We need, we need a demonstration.
Oh, gosh. Oh, gosh.
[00:02:29] Speaker C: You're welcome to all who I've seen that.
[00:02:31] Speaker B: Sorry.
Okay, so your connection. Did you hear about Epic Experience through your job?
[00:02:42] Speaker C: I did, yes. So we had. One of the medical volunteer recruits was working with me as well and she was. Got the word out. At that time, we had a really wonderful program where we did not have to use our PTO in order to volunteer, which really opened up a lot of possibility for us to be able to spend that time volunteering for sure.
And yeah, so I found out through work and then just was able to become part of the Epic family.
[00:03:12] Speaker B: I love it. And you've continued like you said?
[00:03:14] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:03:15] Speaker B: You volunteered back in 2017.
If you. Is that the only camp that you were volunteered?
[00:03:19] Speaker C: Yes, it is the only one, sadly, yes.
[00:03:21] Speaker B: So from that camp, what was your impression watching these survivors? And I don't know if it was a cancer specific camp or if it was kind of.
[00:03:30] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:03:31] Speaker B: What was your impression of watching them
[00:03:33] Speaker C: engage in these winter activities, it was amazing. It was just amazing to be with a group of people that have all different backgrounds, all different experiences, all different comfort levels in being open. And I really understood why they recommend that volunteers stay for the full week, because you develop such a family.
And, you know, for me, as a volunteer with the medical team, I got to go on all the adventures with everyone and to see people just like, glowing, doing things that they never thought was possible, that they never thought that they wanted to do, but receiving such joy from it and being surrounded by a community that maybe they don't have at home where they can talk with people who truly get it. And it's not. It's not one of just those thoughts and prayers. It's. I've been in the. I've been in the mud with you. I know exactly what you're speaking about. You can be honest. You can be safe and.
And even not as a cancer survivor, as just someone who works in. In the field and tries to be the best I can be for my patients. Yeah, I connected so much. It was life changing for me.
[00:04:42] Speaker B: That's what I'm curious. So you're not even a survivor. Did you have anyone in your life at that point who had cancer? Like, did you have any person?
[00:04:51] Speaker C: Yeah, I do.
Most of my family, extended family members, all of my grandparents have passed from cancer diagnoses. I'd always known that I wanted to get into oncology. So where you are okay. Exactly.
[00:05:03] Speaker B: So going to camp as a non cancer survivor, what did you take away?
[00:05:07] Speaker C: I. I took away so much. So I connected. Just talking about depression and the mental health aspects of just being a human and then, you know, and, and feeling in that safe space to talk about it and, and to share. And I felt so healed during my week. Actually, midweek, my husband sent an email to Mama Lou.
And I didn't find out about it until the end of the week, but he messaged her to say, I cannot tell you the gift that I have seen happen in my wife. I see that her passion is back. I see that she has so much more motivation and understanding of not just life in general, but at work.
Recognizing the work that you do matters. And every little statement as people are going through things, just to hear it on such a different level level and connect on such different levels. It was absolutely amazing.
[00:06:04] Speaker B: Has it changed the way you approach your work as an oncologist?
[00:06:07] Speaker A: It has.
[00:06:08] Speaker C: You know, even again, it's been nine years since I went to camp and had that experience. But I still every day am able to interact with my patients and have a reminder of like, this is not the only thing that's interesting about them. Their cancer is the least interesting thing about them. Let's connect just as people. And then I just happen to be able to help with some of the medical things as well.
[00:06:30] Speaker B: That. That's awesome. The tagline for epic experience is beyond cancer. I'm wondering how you experience that there at camp. And I don't know if you've been able to bring that at all into your.
[00:06:43] Speaker C: Oh, yeah, absolutely. You know, it's reminding people and reminding myself that I'm capable of so much more than I thought I was or that we think we are and maybe not now, but that doesn't mean. No, that means just not right now.
[00:07:00] Speaker B: Right.
[00:07:01] Speaker C: And to not be afraid of getting out of your comfort zone and. And putting yourself out there. And when you get yourself surrounded by really positive people, it's amazing what you can accomplish.
[00:07:12] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:07:13] Speaker C: And the feeling that you have in that accomplishment.
[00:07:17] Speaker B: You've come to the gala before.
[00:07:18] Speaker C: Yes.
[00:07:18] Speaker B: You know, how many have you come? Three or four times.
[00:07:21] Speaker C: This is probably my sixth.
Yeah.
[00:07:24] Speaker B: What brings you back each time?
[00:07:26] Speaker C: It's just so fun. It's just so fun. You know, you do all of the. The back end type things.
[00:07:32] Speaker A: You know, I'm.
[00:07:32] Speaker C: I'm not a.
As front facing in the. The work that I do and to be able to gather with everyone once a year and you have the excitement and the energy and you hear the stories of how this organization has affected so many people in a positive way. It's just.
It's awesome. And it's great realizing how many resources are out there that I can bring to my patients.
[00:07:57] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:07:57] Speaker B: I love it.
[00:07:58] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:07:59] Speaker B: Is there anything you would share? I mean, as an oncology nurse or as a volunteer who's interacted to a cancer survivor who's in the thick of it right now. Is there anything you would share that you've learned from either your professional experience or.
[00:08:15] Speaker C: Or just being part of it? I think it's to just be honest. Be honest with yourself how you're feeling. Be honest with your care team.
And maybe you don't feel that connection with everyone, but you probably have one person who you feel safe and being honest about everything helps everyone to be better.
[00:08:36] Speaker B: It's true.
[00:08:37] Speaker C: You know, it's something that I have to. I've learned. I take that with myself too. Be honest with myself, be honest with those that I love and that love me, and it helps significantly. Terrible things. Feel A little less scary because you're not holding on to that truth by yourself.
[00:08:56] Speaker B: Yeah, I love that. I love that. It's a perfect place to end. I'm going to ask you one more question though. Very serious. Marshmallows over a campfire.
Slow and steady or flaming crispy?
[00:09:06] Speaker C: Flaming crispy.
[00:09:07] Speaker B: I have another Flamin Crispy.
[00:09:09] Speaker C: Flaming crispy.
[00:09:10] Speaker B: We are three to two now. I love it.
Thank you so much.
I did forget to ask you your camp name because I know everybody.
[00:09:17] Speaker C: Lala.
[00:09:17] Speaker B: And why is it Lala?
[00:09:19] Speaker C: Because I wasn't very good at thinking on the fly and that's what all my nieces and nephews call me. So that's what I went with.
[00:09:25] Speaker B: That works. That works. Thank you so much. Thank you for the work you do. Thank you on the medical team and
[00:09:30] Speaker A: I hope we get to go to. Right back at you soon.
[00:09:32] Speaker C: Very excited. Thank you so much.
[00:09:33] Speaker B: Thank you.
All right, I think we are ready for our last guess. No, wait, we have two more.
We have two more. I believe our next one is Melissa. There's Melissa right there. He's gonna hook you up with it.
Let's see, what else can I tell you about myself since I don't. Let's see. What do you guys want to know people who are in the room?
[00:09:57] Speaker C: What has been your most favorite fun
[00:10:00] Speaker A: fact throughout this process?
[00:10:02] Speaker B: You know, I had someone who was a donut freak and had gone to donut shops all over the country.
Like seriously, it was commit, it was commitment.
They named a bunch. So thank you.
All right, we have our next guest here. Hi, Melissa, thank you so much for joining us.
[00:10:24] Speaker A: Yes, I'm so glad to be here.
[00:10:25] Speaker B: So first, why don't you tell us a little bit about yourself and include one fun fact.
[00:10:30] Speaker A: Include one fun fact.
[00:10:31] Speaker B: Yes.
[00:10:34] Speaker A: All right. So I am Melissa, AKA Doc.
[00:10:37] Speaker B: And Doc.
[00:10:38] Speaker A: Because I am a retired chiropractor.
[00:10:41] Speaker B: There you go.
[00:10:42] Speaker A: So spent 20 years as a doctor and it was the only thing that I could come up with when I got to camp at work.
[00:10:50] Speaker B: Short, easy to remember. Yes.
[00:10:52] Speaker A: So I went to camp last summer in June. I am a 3 year breast cancer survivor.
[00:10:59] Speaker B: Congratulations.
[00:11:00] Speaker A: Currently no evidence of disease.
[00:11:02] Speaker B: Awesome.
[00:11:04] Speaker A: My husband and I have lived here in Colorado for almost 30 years and we have a 27 year old daughter who's studying to be an engineer.
[00:11:12] Speaker B: Wow.
[00:11:13] Speaker A: I don't know. Fun fact, I'm a huge Twilight fan.
Even almost 20 years later, I still.
[00:11:21] Speaker B: Okay, I have to ask, I love
[00:11:22] Speaker A: the books, not the movies.
[00:11:24] Speaker B: What got you into Twilight? I have to ask.
[00:11:26] Speaker A: You know My neighbor said, you have to read these books. And I read the first one and fell in love with it. And I still. I have them all on audiobook. And I still will go back and listen here and there to. To the Twilight books.
[00:11:40] Speaker B: That's the first. I have not had anyone tell me that they're Twilight.
[00:11:43] Speaker A: Well, there you go.
[00:11:43] Speaker B: There you go.
[00:11:44] Speaker A: Most of us probably won't admit it, so that.
[00:11:48] Speaker B: That is probably true. I'm a Harry Potter fan, so I
[00:11:50] Speaker A: will put that I'm. I'm a huge Harry Potter fan as well.
[00:11:52] Speaker B: Are you Griff? What house?
[00:11:55] Speaker A: Ravenclaw.
[00:11:56] Speaker B: Okay. I am Hufflepuff.
[00:11:57] Speaker C: Okay.
[00:11:57] Speaker B: All right.
Now that we've gotten that out of the way. Okay, so you're connected to cancers, that you're a survivor. You gave us a snippet. Can you give us a little bit more of your journey, kind of what happened, how you found out?
So I had.
[00:12:12] Speaker A: So when I retired from chiropractic, I started another business. I actually owned an edible cookie dough dessert shop here in Colorado for five years. And it was a ton of fun.
Covid was a huge challenge. And I just, you know, I just wasn't feeling well. Like, all stress was getting to me, and we weren't just. We just weren't really profitable anymore. And through a lot of conversations and praying and stuff, we decided to close the business.
And with my time off, I was, you know, I'm over 50.
I'm like, well, let's just go do the things. Let's do. Do the colonoscopy and the mammogram and the medical thing. All the medical things, because I hadn't done any of it.
[00:12:57] Speaker B: Oh, gosh.
[00:12:58] Speaker A: And it was just a routine mammogram. It was the first mammogram I'd ever had. It came back like, oh, we need to do, you know, we need to check on this more. And, you know, turned out to be cancer. Was very. Caught very early. It was just stage one.
So I was very grateful. And I said, because I was going through this feeling like a failure because the business didn't succeed. And I was having a lot of, you know, challenges with that. And as soon as I was diagnosed, all of that went away because I knew that if I still had the business, it could have been five years before I went and got all of these tests, because I just didn't have time.
[00:13:34] Speaker B: Perspective change, yes.
[00:13:35] Speaker A: Immediate perspective change, yes.
So I had surgery. I did radiation.
You know, my specific, like, treatment journey was fairly easy comparatively to never fun. And, you know, and there's always that, what if?
[00:13:55] Speaker B: When is it coming?
[00:13:56] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah. And anytime I have a weird headache or a pain in my hip or something, it's, oh, my gosh, is it. You know, has it come back? Yeah. But other than that, you know, all is good right now.
[00:14:07] Speaker B: Wonderful. So how did you hear about epl?
[00:14:10] Speaker A: So I actually host my own podcast.
[00:14:13] Speaker D: Oh, cool.
[00:14:14] Speaker A: Where I interview cancer patients, cancer surgery survivors, that kind of thing. And I was interviewing a guest, and she had mentioned that it was very transformative for her.
[00:14:26] Speaker B: So she had gone to camp, and
[00:14:27] Speaker A: she had gone to camp and checked it out, and I said, oh, my gosh, I want to do this.
And I applied in 2024, and I never heard anything.
And then I interviewed a couple of other people who had been to camp, too, including one who's now on staff.
And I don't know if that's what happened, but he's like, let me see what I can do, and connection. And he will not admit that he had anything to do with it, but
[00:14:55] Speaker B: we shall leave that.
But you got to camp, so you got to camp.
[00:14:58] Speaker A: I did get to camp, yes.
[00:14:59] Speaker B: When did you go? You went in.
[00:15:00] Speaker A: I went last June.
[00:15:01] Speaker B: Last June?
[00:15:02] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:15:04] Speaker B: What was your takeaway? What was your. Without giving away any of the secrets, what was your impression?
[00:15:10] Speaker A: My biggest thing, outside of just the bonding experience and meeting other survivors and getting to spend time with them, the biggest piece for me was I learned how to have fun again.
Cancer is so serious, and we get so bogged down in treatments and doctor's appointments and just all of the ugh of cancer. And I just got to have fun up in the mountains for a week, not worrying about anything at home, not worrying about doctor's appointments or anything, and just had a blast doing things that I had never done before and loving, you know, and it was. It was hilarious because a couple of the things, I was really nervous. I'm like, I don't want to do this. I don't want to do this. And a couple people were like, you can do it. You can do it. And I said, you know, I will do it.
I will probably complain the whole time until I realize I'm having a great time, but I will do it. And they just kind of gently encouraged me to do the things that I was.
[00:16:14] Speaker B: And did you complain the whole time?
[00:16:17] Speaker A: Until I started having fun. Which wasn't very long, right?
[00:16:19] Speaker B: Exactly. I think that was my big takeaway, too, is you just get to be a kid.
[00:16:24] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:16:25] Speaker B: And as adults, too often we don't do that.
[00:16:28] Speaker A: Right.
[00:16:28] Speaker B: And especially, like you said, cancer is serious. I mean, there are some serious things.
[00:16:33] Speaker A: So. Yeah.
[00:16:35] Speaker B: So here you are. This is now, what, a year later?
[00:16:38] Speaker A: Pretty close.
[00:16:38] Speaker B: Yeah.
How have you continued to stay involved with Epic Experience?
[00:16:43] Speaker A: So I came home and I basically told everybody about it, what a great time I had. You know, probably half of the people that I talk to on my podcast, it. It comes up, Epic Experience doesn't.
I'm usually the one who brings it up. It's like, this is such a great thing.
And I connected, you know, Colin, our executive director, with a few people.
And last November, he.
He texted me and said, let's have lunch, and he invited me to join the board. And so here I am now, now a brand new board member for Epic Experience.
[00:17:23] Speaker B: That's awesome.
[00:17:24] Speaker A: Getting to forward the mission and, you know, just help. Help Epic any way I can to continue to do amazing things. So your.
[00:17:36] Speaker B: Your camp was just a year ago, not June.
[00:17:38] Speaker A: Not even a year.
[00:17:39] Speaker B: Not even a year. This is your first gala?
[00:17:41] Speaker A: This is my first gala.
[00:17:42] Speaker B: So what are your impressions so far?
[00:17:43] Speaker A: Oh, my gosh, it has been so much fun.
And just the preparation and the. And putting it all together and just seeing all of these people in their western wear. I mean, I actually went shopping this week for stuff, and I borrowed my dog. These are my daughter's cowboy boots, because I don't have my own.
And just getting to meet all of these amazing people, getting to meet the other board members, the, you know, the volunteers and the other alumni who we just see on Zoom here and there and, you know, all of these great guests who are. Who are here just, you know, supporting this great organization.
[00:18:20] Speaker B: So the Epic Experience tagline is beyond cancer.
How would you say you kind of learned that at camp and then have brought it home?
How have you been living beyond cancer? I guess ever since you came home?
[00:18:35] Speaker A: You know, like I said before with the fun, I'm just.
I'm living for today.
You know, cancer can come back at any time.
[00:18:45] Speaker B: Right.
[00:18:45] Speaker A: I've talked to people that it's been 5 years, 15 years, 20 years, and then recurrence happens. So. But I'm. I'm not going to be afraid. If it comes back, it comes back. But I'm going to, you know, live every day and have as much fun as I possibly can with the time that I have, which could be two years, it could be 30 years, you know, whatever happens. Yeah.
[00:19:08] Speaker B: So if someone's listening and they're considering going to camp, they're on the fence.
Do you have anything that you would encourage them to think about in terms
[00:19:18] Speaker A: of going, just go.
[00:19:22] Speaker B: That's.
[00:19:24] Speaker A: I'm sure everybody says just. Just go and let go of how you think it's supposed to be.
These people know what they're doing. They've been doing camps for 13 years.
They will take care of you and just go and have a good time. And, you know, I. I loved it because we were in the. Like, they wouldn't even let us in the kitchen.
[00:19:48] Speaker B: That's right.
[00:19:48] Speaker A: No, you're not allowed to do anything. They cook for you. They clean up for you. Like, all you have to do is just go and enjoy yourself and spend time with other people.
[00:19:57] Speaker B: I love it.
[00:19:58] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:19:59] Speaker B: Well, thank you so much. I'm gonna ask you my last question. Very serious, if you course. Marshmallows over campfire.
Slow and steady or flaming crispy?
[00:20:08] Speaker A: No, not flaming crispy.
[00:20:09] Speaker B: Wow. All right, we have a very strong slow and steady here. I think the score is now 4 to 2.
[00:20:14] Speaker A: I like it just lightly toasted. So it's just soft, but it turns black and I'm done. I give it to somebody. I give it to one of your twos or fours. Who's got the more.
[00:20:25] Speaker B: There's only two people who absolutely want the flaming crispies.
[00:20:28] Speaker A: All right, give it to one of them. Give it to one of them. I want. I want the lightly toasted.
[00:20:32] Speaker B: Thank you so much for joining us. Thank you for being on the board, for. For jumping in with everything and giving back.
[00:20:39] Speaker A: And thank you for all you are doing with this podcast. It is such a fun.
[00:20:42] Speaker B: And good luck with your podcast.
[00:20:44] Speaker A: Thank you very much. Appreciate it.
[00:20:45] Speaker B: All right. All right, take care.
[00:20:46] Speaker A: All right. Enjoy the rest of your night.
[00:20:48] Speaker B: All right. Enjoy your first gala.
So we have our last guest who is coming on right here.
And I'm taking other questions from the peanut galley. Anybody have a question?
This is. I'll answer right now. Anyone?
Okay, let's see. What else can I tell you?
[00:21:05] Speaker D: How do you like being the voice of Epic?
[00:21:07] Speaker B: How do I like being the voice of Epic? I have embraced it. How's that?
It has become easier.
All right, our final guest.
[00:21:18] Speaker D: So you saved the best for last.
[00:21:19] Speaker C: I did.
[00:21:20] Speaker D: Thank you.
[00:21:20] Speaker B: Stretch and I met Stretch. Sorry, I'm using his camp name. Denny and I met three years ago.
[00:21:25] Speaker D: 23. Just about March of 23.
[00:21:28] Speaker B: So before I say anything else, why don't you tell us about yourself and include one fun fact.
[00:21:32] Speaker D: One fun fact. Okay.
So obviously, Denny Williams from just outside of Louisville, Kentucky, and you do say at Louisville.
[00:21:38] Speaker B: Louisville. I have been Taught this. Yes.
[00:21:42] Speaker D: And then. Yeah. So diagnosed with esophageal cancer back in January 22nd.
Went through treatments, chemo, radiation, surgery. All the fun stuff.
[00:21:51] Speaker B: Right. All the fun stuff.
[00:21:52] Speaker D: You know, came out on the good side of things, which is a blessing in itself.
But I'll be the first to admit. Stubborn male. Didn't want to talk about it. Didn't want to deal with it.
My beautiful wife is standing here staring at me.
Sat me down one day and said, you need some help?
I didn't know where to turn, where to look.
And so, luckily, I was introduced to EPIC experience by one of our dear friends, Simi.
[00:22:20] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:22:21] Speaker D: So I say it all the time. It's her fault. It's her fault I'm involved with Epic.
But, yeah, I went to March of 23rd, and it's exactly what I needed. To sit around with other cancer survivors, hear their stories, just to know that what I was feeling and dealing with, other people were too.
[00:22:39] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:22:39] Speaker D: And no offense to family and friends, but they just. They don't.
[00:22:43] Speaker B: You haven't had it.
[00:22:44] Speaker D: Yes. They. They didn't get it.
And it's exactly what I needed. And just for that one week, coming home changed me completely.
[00:22:52] Speaker B: I want to come back to that. I'm going to ask you a fun fact first and then come back to that fun fact.
[00:22:58] Speaker D: I guess I played college baseball at the University of Louisville, so I was a pitcher.
Yeah. So that'd be my fun fact.
[00:23:04] Speaker B: I love it. Yeah. Okay. So I'm gonna come back to camp.
[00:23:06] Speaker D: Yep.
[00:23:07] Speaker B: At your camp, were you the only male?
[00:23:09] Speaker D: There was two of us.
[00:23:10] Speaker B: There were two of you.
Do you think, in talking to him, and now that you've been more open, is it more common for men to not talk about it or not recognize that they need.
[00:23:23] Speaker D: I would say they don't recognize that they need it. Okay. Because, again, I think we're meant to put on that toughness that, you know, you're the man. You got to be tough about it, and you got to let that go.
[00:23:36] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:23:37] Speaker D: You got to open up. You do have to talk about it. You got to cry about it, because that's the only way you're gonna heal.
[00:23:42] Speaker B: Right.
[00:23:42] Speaker D: And like I said, went to camp three years ago. I'm still healing myself.
[00:23:47] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:23:47] Speaker D: This is part of the reason why I continued to do this, to tell my story.
[00:23:50] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:23:50] Speaker D: It's just for that reason, because you have to. You have to talk about it. That's the only way you can continue on.
[00:23:55] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:23:56] Speaker D: Move down your journey.
[00:23:57] Speaker B: So would you say that during that week, that was the thing that really stuck is you realized I can't keep this exactly. Stuff down anymore. Yeah.
[00:24:06] Speaker D: I've never cried as much at that camp ever in my life.
[00:24:10] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:24:11] Speaker D: You know, Red was. And giddy up for our small group leaders and, you know, just hearing their stories and what they've been through.
So it was good to make that connection with somebody else.
And even my roommate, Dakota Cartwright, he went by. God. What was his nickname?
[00:24:30] Speaker B: Tuner.
[00:24:31] Speaker D: Tuner. Yes.
[00:24:31] Speaker B: Tuner.
[00:24:32] Speaker D: I couldn't remember for a minute. You know, he just. Conversations we've had.
[00:24:36] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:24:37] Speaker D: It just.
It's nothing I ever anticipated, but it's nothing I ever got either.
[00:24:42] Speaker B: Right.
[00:24:43] Speaker D: So, you know, when you go through those moments, it helps you realize.
[00:24:48] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:24:48] Speaker D: And again, it's all about healing, and it's. It's a way for us to deal with it.
[00:24:53] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:24:54] Speaker D: So any male that I see is. Stop being stubborn. Talk to somebody about it, please.
[00:24:59] Speaker B: Yeah.
At your camp, were there.
And full disclosure, I volunteered at stretches camp.
But I'm wondering, did you find there were a mix of so two guys and rest women, mix of ages, mixes of cancers?
Did that in any way hinder the experience or did it add to.
[00:25:19] Speaker D: I think it added to it because you got a little bit of everything, which is also nice. But, you know, the best part about camp is, you know, the connections you make just from the airport to camp.
[00:25:33] Speaker B: Absolutely.
[00:25:34] Speaker D: That's where it starts.
[00:25:35] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:25:35] Speaker D: And by the time you hop out of the vehicle, your journey's already begun.
[00:25:39] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:25:40] Speaker D: And, you know, just the people in this room tonight.
[00:25:43] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:25:44] Speaker D: That's the only. That's how they met.
[00:25:46] Speaker B: Yeah. Oh, for sure.
[00:25:47] Speaker D: And they're all probably closer than maybe high school friends that they've had.
All because of cancer.
[00:25:54] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:25:54] Speaker D: Which is a strange thing.
[00:25:56] Speaker B: It is. It's this strange.
[00:25:58] Speaker D: The only reason I'm here, the only reason we come to Denver is because of cancer.
[00:26:03] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:26:03] Speaker B: It's the gift that we never asked for.
[00:26:05] Speaker D: Yeah. You know, I tell people all the time I. I truly consider cancer to be a blessing.
[00:26:10] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:26:11] Speaker D: And it's odd to say it is, but it's. It's taken me places. It's brought me people like you that, you know, I never would have met or came across.
[00:26:21] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:26:21] Speaker D: And so there's a story on itself.
[00:26:24] Speaker B: It is. It absolutely is. So you. That was three years ago. You're still involved. How has your involvement kind of morphed over time.
[00:26:31] Speaker D: Yeah. So. Right. You know, immediately after camp, you know, I just felt the need I had to give back. And you know, as a matter of fact, that very. That first summer camp, Mama Lou called me up and said, do you want to be a volunteer? I said, absolutely. So, you know, I've been volunteering ever since then. Joined the alumni team for a little while, was a part of the board for a little while. And then when Mama Lou retired, wingman said, hey, hey, crazy idea. You want to come help me run this show? And so I was in a 16 year career as an athletic director and had been, had been praying and wondering what was next because there's a lot of long days and long nights in the world of athletics and thought, you know, this is an opportunity I can't pass up. And so changed careers, came to work for epic, and it's almost been one year.
[00:27:22] Speaker B: Congratulations. And your title with EPIC is what?
[00:27:25] Speaker D: Director of Programs and alumni Engagement.
[00:27:27] Speaker B: Which means?
[00:27:28] Speaker D: Which means, so I basically run all the programs, the camps, the thriving togethers, all that kind of stuff. Our in person program.
[00:27:36] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:27:36] Speaker D: And then alumni engagement is, you know, all these people in this room tonight making sure that they stick around with us and continue to hang out.
[00:27:44] Speaker B: That's awesome.
[00:27:45] Speaker D: Yeah.
[00:27:46] Speaker B: So I've asked this of a few people. Our tagline is beyond cancer. So how have you learned to live beyond cancer or what does that mean to you? Sure.
[00:27:56] Speaker D: To live beyond, you know. Well, let me start by saying this, that, you know, I never want to forget what I went through.
And so to live beyond cancer, I'm still grateful that one. The research, the science, the medications, the treatments, you know, esophageal cancers, it's a doozy.
[00:28:16] Speaker B: It is, it is.
[00:28:17] Speaker D: And, you know, for. For somebody to come up with that particular surgery to save somebody's life, it's crazy. You know, when I see my oncologist and my surgeons and, you know, I just hug them because, you know, they save people and they don't get to see that part of it.
So to live beyond cancer, again, it's a healing process.
[00:28:38] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:28:39] Speaker D: And I think it's important to continue on but never forget.
[00:28:43] Speaker B: Yeah, that's a good point.
[00:28:44] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:28:45] Speaker B: If you were to sum up, if you can, one lesson you've learned from your own cancer journey.
[00:28:51] Speaker A: Both.
[00:28:53] Speaker B: I'll give you options. Both as your own, or even now that you've been volunteering and you've been involved from watching other people kind of go through it, what's one takeaway that you would share with us?
[00:29:02] Speaker D: So, you know, I've mentored a few people that have esophageal cancer. I think that's important. Too. But kind of the one theme that I see and that I tell people is trust in the process.
[00:29:14] Speaker B: What do you mean by that?
[00:29:15] Speaker D: What I mean by that is, you know, between doctors appointments and the treatments and the surgeries and, you know, there's a lot of different options out there.
If you. If you trust in the process.
1. I think it helps you mentally of what you're going through.
[00:29:34] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:29:36] Speaker D: It gives you hope, which you need.
Yes. You need that hope to hold on to.
[00:29:42] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:29:43] Speaker D: And so, you know, you just have to trust in the process, because at least in my situation and I see it with other people, you know, when I was diagnosed, two weeks later, I was in my first chemo.
[00:29:53] Speaker B: Wow. Two weeks.
[00:29:54] Speaker D: Yeah. So you didn't really have time to register what was going on. And I was in radiation every day.
You know, I was in a doctor's appointment every other day.
[00:30:04] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:30:04] Speaker D: Countless blood work and scans, and, you know, so you're going through this whole journey, and you really don't have time to reflect and to realize what you're doing. And so for me, why I say that is I had to trust in the process. I had to trust in what the doctors were telling me. I had to trust in the treatment options and things that were there.
You know, they would always come to me with different options.
[00:30:31] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:30:31] Speaker D: And I'm like, would you tell me whichever one is going to get me through this?
[00:30:36] Speaker B: Right.
[00:30:37] Speaker D: And so, you know, I put a lot of trust in people that you have to. I didn't even know, but it worked. They saved me.
[00:30:46] Speaker B: And here you are.
[00:30:47] Speaker D: Here I am, sitting today.
[00:30:48] Speaker A: Awesome.
[00:30:49] Speaker B: Well, thank you so much. Thank you for all you do for epic.
[00:30:52] Speaker A: I appreciate it.
[00:30:53] Speaker D: Same to you.
[00:30:54] Speaker B: Marshmallows over a campfire.
[00:30:55] Speaker D: Yep.
[00:30:56] Speaker B: Slow and steady. Flaming crispy.
[00:30:58] Speaker D: All right, well, we're gonna get this score a little more even. I'm a Flaming crispy.
[00:31:01] Speaker B: Oh, wow. We have three flaming Krispies because. All right.
[00:31:03] Speaker D: There's no time to wait. When you're hungry and you want it, you know, just go for it. Right.
[00:31:08] Speaker B: So what if it's charcoal? Yeah.
[00:31:09] Speaker A: Right.
[00:31:09] Speaker D: I mean, you know, it's still a marshmallow.
[00:31:11] Speaker B: It's still a marshmallow. Yeah, Absolutely.
Thank you so much. Thank you for everything you do, and enjoy the gallery.
[00:31:17] Speaker D: Yeah. Here we go.
[00:31:18] Speaker B: All right. Here we go.
So all of you who are listening, until the next time we gather around the campfire, keep living Beyond Cancer.
Thank you for listening to this episode of campfires of Living beyond Cancer. For more information about EPIC experience and our programs or to donate, please visit our
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