Advertise on podcast: Campfires of Hope: Stories of Cancer

In this episode, we’re joined by Joanie Ryan, a Stage 4 lung and neck cancer survivor, and Nicholas Fioretto, a mediastinal cancer survivor who was diagnosed as a young adult. Both Joanie and Nicholas have experienced profound adversity—not only through their cancer diagnoses, but through other difficult and life-changing experiences along the way. Despite the darkness they’ve faced, both found a source of light through Epic Experience. At camp, they discovered something powerful: a community of people who didn’t need an explanation. They were surrounded by others who understood the uncertainty, challenges, emotions, and realities of life with and beyond cancer. In this conversation, Joanie and Nicholas share how finding their people helped them move through some of life’s darkest moments, rediscover connection, and find hope on the other side.

September is Blood Cancer Awareness Month, and on this episode of Campfires of Hope, Gail aka “Sunshine” sits down with Tricia Hernandez and Elissa Baldwin from Blood Cancer United to talk about blood cancers, their personal connections to the community, and the resources available to those affected by a diagnosis. Tricia and Elissa share their journeys into blood cancer advocacy and discuss the mission of Blood Cancer United: to cure blood cancer and improve the quality of life of all patients and their families. They also explore the different types of blood cancer, common warning signs and risk factors, and how Blood Cancer United has evolved to support people affected by more than 100 types of blood cancer. From diagnosis through survivorship, the conversation highlights the education, personalized support, financial assistance, and medical debt resources available to patients and families. Together, they offer an informative and compassionate look at how Blood Cancer United is helping people navigate blood cancer while working toward a future where everyone affected can live longer, better lives.

September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, and in this episode, we’re highlighting the experience of living and thriving beyond a prostate cancer diagnosis with Glen Williams, a prostate cancer survivor and participant in Epic Experience’s inaugural Thriving Together Camp. Glen shares his personal journey as a prostate cancer thriver, including the unique physical, mental, and emotional challenges that can come with a prostate cancer diagnosis. He also discusses the impact of Thriving Together and what it meant to be surrounded by others who truly understood the experience of life after cancer. This conversation offers an honest look at survivorship, connection, and finding a community where you don’t have to explain what it means to live beyond cancer.

Phil Baughman is a cholangiocarcinoma survivor who knows firsthand how a cancer diagnosis can change the course of your life. After navigating his own cancer journey, Phil discovered Epic Experience and attended a weeklong camp, where he found more than adventure—he found connection, community, and a group of people who understood the challenges that come with life after cancer. Today, Phil is thriving beyond his diagnosis and using his experience to support and encourage others facing cancer. In this conversation, Phil shares his journey, the impact of camp, and what it means to turn his experience as a survivor into an opportunity to mentor and help others find their own path forward beyond cancer.

Diagnosed with stage 4 mucosal melanoma—a rare cancer that accounts for just 1% of all melanoma cases—Dane Thorp faced unimaginable odds. In this episode, he shares how resilience and self-advocacy led him to pursue a clinical trial, endure extensive jaw reconstruction surgery, and ultimately achieve no evidence of disease (NED). Dane also opens up about overcoming severe radiation side effects and a grueling 6–8 month opioid withdrawal that became an unexpected battle of its own. Dane's story is a powerful testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the strength to keep moving forward, even in the most challenging moments.

In this episode, Yvonne Rawleigh joins us in recognition of June as Uterine Cancer Awareness Month. A survivor of breast cancer, uterine cancer, and cholangiocarcinoma, Yvonne shares her powerful story and reflects on how her uterine cancer diagnosis affected her physically, emotionally, and mentally in ways that differed from her other cancer experiences. Yvonne highlights the realities of navigating multiple diagnoses and underscores the most important lesson she learned along the way: the critical importance of advocating for yourself. Her insights offer encouragement, validation, and perspective for anyone facing cancer or supporting someone who is. This episode is a meaningful reminder of the strength found in speaking up, asking questions, and trusting yourself throughout the cancer journey.

In this episode, Gail (“Sunshine”) sits down around the campfire with Thomas Carter and Travis Clingman of Whitewater Rafting LLC in Glenwood Springs, Colorado. Together, they share stories from guiding Epic Experience cancer thrivers down the Colorado River, reflect on the power of outdoor adventure after cancer, and discuss how rafting and kayaking can help rebuild confidence, connection, and a sense of possibility. From whitewater memories to meaningful camper impact, this conversation is all about what it means to truly live beyond cancer.

In Part 4 of our livestream series from the Hearts & Hope Gala, Sunshine sits down with Laura Woodward, Melissa Grosboll, and Denny Williams. Each of these guests plays a vital role within the Epic Experience community. Laura, aka “La La,” leads our medical review team and helps ensure campers are healthy and ready for our programs. Melissa, aka “Doc,” is a breast cancer survivor and the newest member of the Epic Board of Directors. And Denny, aka “Stretch,” is an esophageal cancer survivor, camp alumnus, and now full-time staff member serving as our Director of Programs and Alumni Engagement. Tune in to hear their stories, the impact Epic Experience has had on their lives, and why they continue to give back to the cancer community.

April is Esophageal Cancer Awareness Month, and we’re joined around the campfire by Dr. Victoria Lee, Chief Medical Officer at Lucid Diagnostics, and Jeff Thomas, a 14-year survivor of Stage 3 esophageal cancer. Together, they bring both medical expertise and lived experience to the conversation.  In this episode, we break down what esophageal cancer is, the risk factors and early warning signs to watch for, and why it’s so often diagnosed too late. We also explore how Lucid Diagnostics is working to change that—empowering clinicians with tools to detect precancer before it develops into cancer, and improving outcomes through earlier intervention. This is a powerful conversation about hope, innovation, and survivorship—highlighting how lived experience and medical expertise can come together to drive meaningful change in cancer care.

In Part 3 of our livestream at the Hearts & Hope Gala, Sunshine welcomes Scott Dawson and Zach Zarnock to the campfire. Together, they share powerful caregiver perspectives on cancer survivorship, reflect on how their wives have embraced life beyond cancer, and open up about why they continue coming back to the Gala year after year.

In Part 2 of our livestream from the Hearts & Hope Gala, Sunshine welcomes this year’s Louis Chinn “Stud” Volunteer Award recipient, Derrick Wiemer (aka Toy Box). As a local community member near 7W Ranch, Derrick shares his firsthand experiences empowering cancer thrivers at camp and why the Epic Experience community means so much to him. Sunshine is then joined by Sarah Nuccio (aka Nooch), a breast cancer survivor who reflects on her long-standing connection with Epic and shares meaningful stories from her journey and the Gala.

For the first time, we livestreamed our podcast directly from the Hearts & Hope Gala! In Part 1, our host Gail Faye (“Sunshine”) sits down with Zach Bye, Denver sports radio host and gala emcee, to talk about why the event has such a powerful impact on him. Then Sunshine chats with Nancy Ferro, founder of Epic Experience, who shares stories and memories from the early gala days more than a decade ago. Tune in for inspiration, behind-the-scenes moments, and a celebration of the community that makes Epic so special.

In honor of Cholangiocarcinoma Awareness Month, we welcome Leanne Barker and Christina Gambogi around the campfire to share their powerful journeys as cholangiocarcinoma survivors. They reflect on their diagnosis stories, treatment experiences, and the unique physical and emotional challenges that came with navigating a rare cancer. Leanne and Christina also discuss the importance of finding disease-specific support and how those connections ultimately led them to Epic Experience’s cholangio survivor camp. Together, they share what it meant to spend a week surrounded by people who truly understood their experience — and how community helped them move forward beyond cancer.

January is Cervical Cancer Awareness Month, and Lori Downing joins us around the campfire to share her story as a cervical cancer survivor. Lori reflects on the physical, mental, and emotional challenges she faced throughout her cancer journey and offers insight from her perspective as a gynecologic cancer survivor. She speaks candidly about the unique realities of cervical cancer—including gaps in information and support around sexual health, as well as the stigma that continues to surround GYN cancers.

On this episode of the How to Cancer series on the Campfires of Hope Podcast, metastatic melanoma survivor Mike Wilde joins us to talk about navigating a second cancer diagnosis. Mike shares how prioritizing self-care, supporting the people around him, and remembering the strength of his first positive outcome helped him face round two. He also offers powerful insight on letting go of certainty and learning to embrace the unknown as part of the journey.