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Campfires of Hope: Stories of Cancer aims to empower the adult cancer survivor community through storytelling and education. Epic Experience is a Colorado-based nonprofit that is passionate about ensuring no one goes through a cancer journey alone. Our podcast is hosted by Epic Experience alum Gail Fay, a.k.a. Sunshine. Sunshine is a ghostwriter, editor, and ovarian cancer survivor.
88 Episodes
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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.
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.
We sit down with Hazel & Ali Senz and Julia & Madeleine McGuire to explore the unique challenges and lessons that come when a parent faces cancer in this episode of Campfires of Hope’s “When Cancer Hits Home” series. Together, each mother-daughter duo reflects on what it was like to hear the diagnosis, how it reshaped family dynamics, and the different ways they each processed the experience at their stage of life. From parenting through uncertainty to growing closer through shared struggle, their honest conversation sheds light on both the hardships and the unexpected growth that cancer can bring.
In this episode of “When Cancer Hits Home”, our guests Kelsey Mora and Chris Balmaceda—mental health professionals who specialize in supporting both kids and adults in families impacted by cancer—share insights on the emotional and relational challenges families often face during a loved one’s cancer journey.
They offer practical communication strategies to help families process the experience, build trust, and create emotional safety. We also explore key signs that it may be time to seek outside support, and the therapeutic approaches Kelsey and Chris prioritize in their work. Finally, we take a closer look at where mental health care in the cancer space still needs to grow.
In the first episode of our “When Cancer Hits Home” series, Nancy Ferro and Mark Agnew share powerful stories of how cancer impacted their families and how those experiences ultimately led to the founding of two remarkable organizations: Epic Experience and Pickles Group.
Nancy and Mark reflect on how a cancer diagnosis reshaped their relationships, family dynamics, and life paths. We explore the origin stories, missions, and impact of their organizations, each created to support families navigating cancer. As they look back on their personal and organizational journeys, Nancy and Mark offer meaningful takeaways for families facing cancer today—and hope for what comes after.
Multiple myeloma survivor and patient advocate Valarie Traynham returns for part 2 to share her insights on what action can be taken to create change in clinical research inequities. Valarie dives into the critical need to raise awareness about disparities in access and representation. She offers actionable ideas for improving healthcare support, building trust, and empowering historically marginalized communities through education and inclusion.
We’re joined by Valarie Traynham, a multiple myeloma survivor and passionate patient advocate, for the first of a two-part episode in a conversation on equity in healthcare and clinical research. Valarie explores the historical and systemic roots of medical mistrust and how they continue to impact clinical trial participation among racially diverse communities and people with disabilities. She sheds light on the misconceptions that discourage participation and offers thoughtful solutions for building trust and improving access to clinical trials.
In Part 2 of our conversation with Dr. Breelyn Wilky and Dr. Christopher Lieu from the University of Colorado Cancer Center, we dive deeper into the patient experience and the innovation behind clinical trials. They share guidance on when to consider a trial during your cancer journey, what a “day in the life” looks like for trial participants, and how trials differ from standard treatments like chemotherapy or radiation.
We also explore the unique role of investigator-initiated trials—what they are, how they differ from pharmaceutical-sponsored studies, and why they’re essential for advancing personalized cancer care.
In the first of a two-part episode, we sit down with Dr. Breelyn Wilky and Dr. Christopher Lieu from the University of Colorado Cancer Center to explore the vital role of clinical trials in advancing cancer treatment. They break down common misconceptions around trial safety and effectiveness, and explain how participation can benefit both patients and the future of oncology. Whether you're considering a trial or just curious, their expert advice brings clarity and encouragement.
Edie Harrison returns to Campfires of Hope to share her unique journey with clinical trials. Diagnosed as NED since 2022, Edie didn't need a trial for treatment purposes. Instead, she researched and sought out a “circulating tumor DNA” clinical trial—a cutting-edge approach to monitoring and detecting the return of her original cancer. Listen to Edie’s story to discover how clinical trials are transforming cancer care beyond treatment.
Diagnosed with leiomyosarcoma in 2015, Sarah Fay's journey to being NED nearly a decade later highlights the life-saving potential of clinical trials. In this Campfires of Hope: Stories of Cancer episode, Sarah shares an honest and inspiring account of her experience—from navigating complex logistics to managing the emotional challenges. Tune in to explore the transformative impact of clinical trials and her story of resilience.
Multiple cancer survivor Lana Boes returns to Campfires of Hope to share a detailed account of her journey through clinical trials and inspire others to take charge of their health. Lana opens up about the mental and emotional challenges of facing a recurrence in May, after five years of being NED (No Evidence of Disease), and how the strength of her community helped her rediscover her light.
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