My Nonprofit Reviews

In March of 2014, my mom was diagnosed with Stage IV lung cancer. It completely shook her world. For the first few months, life became a difficult journey of rearranging and re-envisioning her goals, her new reality, and her expectations of what the future held. For my mom, who is a healthy, non-smoking marathon runner, uttering the words “I have cancer” to her loved ones seemed impossible. These words were so foreign to her, but as time passed on, they also seemed to become more defining.

That summer, she was given the opportunity to attend a free, week-long camp called Epic Experience, and she decided to take the risk and do it. This camp is for individuals who have been diagnosed with cancer, and is based upon outdoor adventures such as stand up paddle boarding and white water kayaking. Leading up to camp, she worried about leaving the comfort of home and family to be with complete strangers and talk about her cancer. There was certainly apprehension about whether she would enjoy herself, or whether she would be able to participate in all of the activities with her new health concerns.

My mom could not have been more wrong. She came back from camp a changed woman. She had made lifelong friends, and had developed a new sense of positivity and determination to live her life to the fullest. She has Epic Experience to thank for her change, because Epic encourages participants to recognize that cancer is a part of their story, but it no longer defines them.

Treatment and doctors have the potential to heal those that are battling cancer, but more than anything, I think that positivity and attitude can heavily influence the healing process and quality of life of a Cancer Thriver. Epic Experience seeks to provide that change in attitude through life-changing experience and lasting friendship and support.