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.

In this hopeful closing episode of Campfires of Hope’s “When Cancer Hits Home” series, Amanda Blackburn and Mical Roy reflect on how their families have navigated life after cancer and found ways to thrive. They share the changes in daily routines and family life that came with a cancer diagnosis, and how they worked together to create a new sense of normal.

Amanda and Mical discuss the vital role of community, friendships, and support systems in helping their families move forward, and highlight the lessons, growth, and new perspectives that emerged from their experiences. Looking ahead, they explore what thriving and living beyond cancer means for their families today and into the future. Their stories offer insight, inspiration, and practical hope for families seeking to reclaim joy and connection after cancer.

In this heartfelt episode of “When Cancer Hits Home”, we hear from Jeff and Francesca Hlavacek as they navigate life after the loss of their wife and mother, Erika, to lung cancer. Jeff, a colorectal cancer survivor himself, and Francesca share how their family coped with grief, supported each other, and learned to carry on while honoring Erika’s memory.

They reflect on the most challenging moments of loss and the ways grief touched each member of their family differently. Jeff discusses the balance of guiding his children through mourning while processing his own pain, and Francesca shares how she supported her siblings and her father during this difficult time.

Looking back, they explore the practices, perspectives, and memories that have helped them heal together and individually. Their story is a moving example of how families navigate grief, find strength in one another, and continue to celebrate the life of a loved one even after profound loss.

In this episode of Campfires of Hope: Stories of Cancer Survivorship, Kimber and Justin Harris share how Kimber’s cancer diagnosis reshaped their lives as partners and parents of three. They reflect on the shock of those first days, the challenges of navigating treatment while caring for a newborn and two young children, and the very different ways they each coped.

High school sweethearts together for more than 25 years, Kimber and Justin open up about what true partnership looked like through illness, how they supported one another in both practical and emotional ways, and how cancer continues to influence their marriage, parenting, and everyday approach to life.

The How to Cancer Series is back on the Campfires of Hope Podcast! In this episode, melanoma survivor Janna Jones shares How to Survive With Cancer. She offers heartfelt advice on navigating survivorship, including reinventing play, embracing the present moment, and finding positivity in everyday life. Tune in to hear her personal strategies for thriving after cancer and making each day meaningful. www.epicexperience.org/how-to-cancer-series

We welcome back former Campfires of Hope guests Michael and Amanda Ferro, both cancer survivors who found love through the Epic Experience community and are now happily married, to “When Cancer Hits Home.” They share their journey from meeting at an Epic event to dating as survivors, navigating the challenges and joys of building a relationship after cancer, and the lessons they’ve learned along the way.

As they prepare for their first baby, Michael and Amanda reflect on how surviving cancer has shaped their vision for parenthood, the way they approach life together, and the hope they carry into this next chapter. Their story is a heartfelt reminder that love and new beginnings are possible, even after life-changing experiences.

In this episode of Campfires of Hope’s “When Cancer Hits Home” series, we hear from Patrick Brennan, Molly Agnew, and Eliza and Beckett Smith, all young people whose parents have faced cancer. They share candid reflections on what it’s really like to grow up with a parent undergoing treatment, including moments of bravery, the people and resources that made a difference, and the challenges of talking about cancer with friends who may not understand.

As Peer Leaders at Pickles Group, they also offer heartfelt advice for other kids navigating a parent’s diagnosis and highlight what they wish more people understood about their experiences. Their stories are a powerful reminder of the resilience, insight, and courage of young people facing the ripple effects of cancer at home.