You all know that I was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer two years ago, just a few months after watching my dad die of cancer. To fight this aggressive disease, I went through over a year of treatment, including 16 chemo infusions, a bilateral mastectomy surgery, a month of daily radiation, and 14 months of immunotherapy infusions. We also threw in a ton of blood transfusions, several infections, a couple of hospitalizations, and two additional surgeries along the way. It's been a pretty rough two years. I am still dealing with the physical, mental, and emotional effects of this disease on a daily basis. I'm doing my best to navigate this new "survivorship" part of the journey. I'm learning that this includes finding ways to cope with the way cancer has changed my life and all it has taken from me and navigating the (stupidly high) risk of recurrance that is always looming over my shoulder. 

BUT...

I'm also doing my best to get back to living and rediscovering the things that make me happy. For me, this has meant seeking out new experiences and finding my place within a new community that has supported me in ways I didn't know I needed. In the past year, I've had the incredible opportunity to join three amazing organizations that provide outdoor experiences for young adult cancer survivors. I've spent weeks on trips rock climbing, mountain biking, swimming, and hiking with strangers who have become close friends. There is no way to explain what these experiences and friendships heave meant to me, except to say they have truly been live changing. The organizations provide these opporunities at no cost to participants, making these experiences accessible to so many young cancer survivors around the country.  

In August, I'll be joining another organization in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan for several days of hiking, kayaking, camping, and exploring. Because this retreat is being offered to cancer surivors AND a caregiver, Josh gets to join me as well! This will be another great opportunity for me to connect with other cancer survivors while giving Josh the opportunity to connect with other caregivers who have been through what he has been though. This organization, True North Treks, asks participants to make a "pay it forward" pledge to raise funds for future participants. Josh and I are only able to have access to this opportunity because of generous donors who have made these programs possible. We are asking any friends and family who are able to help support the future of this organization so that others like us can have an experience like ours. Any amount, no matter how small, will truly make a difference! We have set a lofty goal and we have no idea if it's possible to reach it, but I know True North Treks and their future participants will be appreciative of any support we are able to provide.

Thank you to every single one of you for your endless support over the years. You will never know how much it has meant to us.