Adventures with Scars

In this episode, Chapter 2 of Lauren's book "Cancering", the topic is- Reflections, first steps toward a new direction.

 In a world where cancer was once synonymous with despair and finality, a new reality emerges: survivors now live a decade beyond their diagnosis. This seismic shift presents us with fresh challenges to confront head-on. How do we navigate life after hearing those dreaded words in the doctor's office? It's a question that reverberates through the hearts of those grappling with cancer today. While society educates us on the risks, we've yet to master the art of truly living w...

In this season of Adventures with Scars, Lauren reads through her book Cancering, about emotionally healing from cancer. This first chapter deals with Fear and how to recognize it and work through and even appreciate it.

To order Cancering go to Amazon. 

To find out more about Lauren's nonprofit Adventure Therapy Foundation go to www.adventurefound.org 

Lauren welcomes guest Lissett Mckee in this episode of Adventures with Scars. Lissett was diagnosed in 2018 with breast cancer, then in 2021 she was diagnosed with stomach cancer. 

She joined Debbie's Dream Foundation, a stomach cancer foundation, as a patient advocate. She now goes to Washington annually to ask Congress for money for cancer research and acts as a cancer mentor. 

Lauren's guest on this episode is Lauren Hunter!
Lauren is an intuitive and faith-focused entrepreneur who values working with creative visionaries to bring ideas to fruition. She offers author services, highly sensitive person coaching and book coaching, and freelance writing to her passionate clients.  With a diverse background in content marketing, PR, and publishing including her two books and online community for sensitive people, HSPJourney.com, she applies instinctive life-coaching principles of listening to her various roles. She can be found at https://laurenhunter.net.

For more information about Adventure Therapy go to adventurefound.org.

Lauren's guest in this episode is Stephanie S. Abbott. Stephanie is a cancer survivor, a former healthcare executive, and author of "Buried or Planted - 100+ Expert Insights from a Healthcare Executives' Journey as a Cancer Patient". Stephanie has served in multiple leadership roles to include Chief Experience Officer for Adventist Health, Division Vice President Patient Experience for HCA and Corporate Assistant Director Patient Experience for Intermountain Health.  

Stephanie has spearheaded the design of patient and caregiver experiences, emphasizing culture, process enhancement, and patient safety. Her individual mission is to inspire teams to deliver care that is safe, d...

In this episode, Lauren has a wonderful conversation with Nancy Ferro. Nancy founded Epic Experience after her oldest son Michael was diagnosed with testicular cancer.  5 years after Michaels diagnosis she had witnessed what the outdoors and being with other cancer thrivers could do to offer hope.  

Nancy is married to her husband Mark and they have their children, Michael and Amanda Ferro, Colin and Tricia Ferro, Kerry Ferro and her greatest gift her grandson Cameron.   Mark and Nancy also have 2 dogs, a lab, Disco and a one year old Golden Retriever Brinkley.   She loves the outdoors and espe...

Lauren welcomes Brigitte Cutshall to the podcast in this episode. Brigitte is a health advocate and speaker who is passionate about encouraging others to lead their happiest, healthiest lives. After dealing with breast cancer twice, melanoma and a rare primary brain tumor, her goal is to “empower others not just to survive, but thrive.” Brigitte is the founder of Gemini Media, a creative enforcer, Real Things Living podcast host, and has authored several books. She brings 30+ years of experience in the publishing and communications industry to help others share their stories and messages of hope. Brigitte enjoys staying active with...

On this episode of Adventures with Scars Lauren welcomes guest Terri Curtis. 

Terri is the C-suite of the Curtis family.  She has been an amazing human for 47 years, a pediatric occupational therapist for 25 years and a mother for 16years.  She is currently writing the chapters of her life as she continues on her journey as a breast cancer advocate, MBC thriver and general badass.  She is here today to challenge you and open your eyes to the reality of living with Metastatic Breast Cancer. 

On this episode Lauren welcomes guest Judith Fitzgerald.
Judy was diagnosed with bilateral breast cancer in 2009. Her year of treatment included a double mastectomy and reconstruction. Since her diagnosis, she has been an active advocate for breast cancer prevention and founded Sisters4Prevention in 2010.

Judy serves as a consumer advocate for the Department of Defense Breast Cancer Research Grant Program, and is an active blogger on social media.  Her passion is diet and lifestyle changes that can help survival, as well as supporting the development of a vaccine for the prevention of breast cancer.  She serves as...

In this episode, Lauren welcomes Tania Streete to the podcast.

Tania is a single mother of two sons with disabilities. Her youngest son is now 19 years old and has Down syndrome. Her oldest son is 28 years old with Brain Damage, Epilepsy, Hemiplegic Cerebral Palsy, Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD), learning disorder, Irlen Syndrome, and Dyslexia. 

In 2008, Tania and her boys relocated to Brentwood where she became a volunteer assistant coach for the Special Olympics Track and Field team. Tania, also has a 8 year old granddaughter. In addition to attending college full time, Tania completed her C...

On this episode of Adventures with Scars Lauren is pleased to welcome guest Mahwish Syed.

Mahwish Syed is an award winning fashion and interior designer, celebrated author, cancer survivor, and devoted mother. Her creations have adorned bodies and homes for over two decades, fostering spaces that nurture and heal. Featured in distinguished publications like New York Times, Architectural Digest, Elle Décor, and Hamptons Cottages & Gardens, her designs transcend boundaries. Her book "Purgatory to Paradise" unveils her triumphant cancer journey, showcasing how design became her healing sanctuary. Committed to empowering others, she advocates for personal paradises, affirming t...

In this episode Lauren shares her insight about the difficulties with a broken identity that comes with a cancer diagnosis and how that identity is rebuilt. Take a listen and let us know what you think or if you would like to share your own experience email us at info@adventurefound.org. 

To find out more about Adventure Therapy Foundation visit us online at wwwadventurefound.org 

We are so pleased to welcome to the podcast in this episode Amanda Medina! Amanda is 39 years old and from Texas. She is a mother to a 21-year-old son and has a wonderfully supportive boyfriend. She was diagnosed July 17th 2018 with Stage 4 Metastatic Breast Cancer De Novo.

She is currently no evidence of active disease.

She is a Registered and Certified Dental Assistant of over 17 years.

Since her diagnosis she has found herself advocating and involving herself around the MBC community. 

This episode features a conversation with Lauren and Audrey Graves, a mom and educator who was first diagnosed with Breast Cancer after the birth of her son in 2006 and currently is living with Metastatic Breast Cancer. 

Audrey shares her journey through being a mom and an educator, she currently works as the Principal of the Nebraska Center for the Education of Children who are Blind or Visually Impaired. She shares openly about cancering and divorce and the real life facts about dating with cancer. 

So take a moment and enjoy getting to know Audrey. 

On this episode of Adventures with Scars Lauren welcomes Lori Ponce! Lori is a wife and mother of three girls. She homeschools her daughters and teaches adults with disabilities. She is passionate about exercise and has a personal training certification. In 2021, her life was significantly changed when her youngest was diagnosed at age four with Stage 4 Rhabdomyosarcoma. Then, on her daughter's one-year remission anniversary, Lori received a breast cancer diagnosis. Lori then went through her own treatment for stage 0 breast cancer. She said, "I am thankful for every day God blesses me with." 

On this episode of Adventures with Scars, Lauren welcomes guest Melanie Anderson. Melanie has supported and led organizations serving adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities for over 30 years.  As a driven human service professional and active single parent to two amazing young adults (ages 19 and 22), she knows how to help and support others.  At age 50, after being diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma, she had to work on the concept of letting go of fear and control and lean into the concept of interdependence.

On this episode of Adventures with Scars Lauren welcomes guest Kandy Salby! Kandy is a retired high school English teacher, mother of 2 college kids and stepmom to 2 younger kids, living with stage 4 colon cancer for the last 3 and a half years. Cancer has motivated her to explore and experience the amazing power of healing through mind, body & soul. Her approach to healing has been “no stone left unturned,” including finding laughter every day. 

Join us for this inspiring conversation!

Lauren's guest today is Mandy and we are going to let her introduce herself.
"My name is Mandy Johnson Bryant and I have a fabulous husband Daniel and two wonderful boys, Jonah, age 13, and Jesse, age 10.  Most days I appreciate how blessed I am but other days are hard.  God gave me two godly, faithful men to share my life with.  My first husband, James, passed away from a brain tumor called a glioblastoma multiforme in 2020.  He was the father of my children who were 7 and 10 at the time.  I was diagnosed 9 months later with de novo metastatic breas...

In this episode Lauren welcomes guest Josh Tidwell, a cancer co-survivor who lost his wife Cassie Tidwell to cancer. Cassie and Josh were one of the first families Adventure Therapy was able to help send on a retreat to the Tiny Home in Tennessee. She was so impacted by the time of rest and retreat that she expressed a desire to start an organization who would help send families impacted by cancer on retreats.

Unfortunately, she was unable to see that dream come to fruition, but her friends and husband have taken her dream and made it...

In this episode Lauren welcomes guest Krista Kusuma, Krista is President at Experience First Consulting, which she founded to divine and nurture the potential of leaders of all levels within museums and cultural organizations, creating purposeful transformation. She has helped hundreds of people multiply their talent, work smarter not harder, and lead more intentional and fulfilling lives. She is also a Metastatic Breast Cancer THRIVER. 

Krista's Coaching Website-  http://www.experiencefirst.us/

Lauren's guest for this episode is her husband Dr. Clifton Huffmaster! They discuss all the things that are involved with being a family that has been impacted by cancer and specifically being a co-survivor. This discussion is a glimpse into the life of our founder and will be an encouragement to anyone who has been touched by cancer.

Some organizations mentioned in this podcast-
https://www.kesem.org
For many of the children and our volunteers, Kesem is a life-changing experience that spans far beyond a week at summer camp. It fosters bonds...

In this episode, Lauren welcomes Shana, mother of four, who is also living with breast cancer.  Shana shares her cancer story and how she parents while cancering. Lots of inspiring stories and funny moments in this episode, Shana even shares her secret to a good life. Spend some time with these two women as they connect and chat about their lives with cancer, you won't regret it.

Author, Speaker, and Life Coach Robert Parti joins Lauren  on the podcast to talk about his wife, Desiree, who passed away from metastatic breast cancer and the life lessons he learned from her and from being a caregiver. He is inspirational! 

In this episode Lauren welcomes Louise Marvulli.
Louise candidly shares about her "cancering" journey for the past 11 years. She shares about what she has learned, how she has grown and all the in-betweens. It is a conversation full of encouragement and hope, we think you will really enjoy it.

On today's episode, Lauren sits down with mom, wife, and hula dancer Rachelle Jenio. Listen as Rachelle shares her story of living with Metastatic Breast Cancer for the last 6 years and how she is dealing with the fear, isolation and broken identity. She also shares about how her and her husband decided to keep her diagnosis mostly private for the first few years. Grab a cup of coffee and hang out and enjoy meeting Rachelle, you won't regret it.

Lauren's guest for this episode is Christina McAmis. Christina had just had a daughter, was enrolled in law school and about to be married when she found out she had Stage 4 breast cancer. That was nine years ago, her story is a miracle, take a listen and be inspired. 

We are so excited to begin our second season of Adventures with Scars! This season Lauren will be interviewing AMAZING guests and digging into their stories of the cancering life and their experiences with the emotional side effects of cancer. Come for the stories, stay for the inspiration, you won't be disappointed. 

In this episode, Lauren has a conversation with co-survivor, Shirley Padgett. Lauren has  known Shirley  for five years,  two of her daughter's had Shirley as their second-grade teacher and she is loved by all. 

She and her husband Steve loved each other and lived well!  They traveled and celebrated life. They also served others in and out of their careers. Her husband's service to our community as a firefighter caused his terminal cancer.  Shirley joins Lauren on the podcast to honor his legacy and share the heart of a co-survivor.

Season 2 of Adventures with Scars opens up with a conversation between Lauren and Katie Harris, a young metastatic mother who participates in Leslie's Week.  Katie became familiar with Adventure Therapy  when Lauren spoke at Stage4Change, a conference hosted by Leslie's Week. 

Katie realized, when in preparation for sharing her story at this year's Stage4Change event, she found herself writing more than 40 pages!  She realized she had a lot to say. With this new personal revelation she reached out to Lauren and is boldly sharing her story with us on this episode.

Giving back should look different for everyone because we are all unique! Giving back doesn't need to be about giving money to a cause. Funding is always helpful, but your presence is infinitely more helpful, giving back means using when is uniquely you for the sake of someone else.

In this episode, Lauren will talk about this season in the healing process, which is where one can be considering the options for giving back. Once survivors work on moving through the trauma, the void, and the restoration process, we live with resilience. We have done hard things...

This episode Lauren talks all things restoration. Restoration is a beautiful opportunity. It is the gift of cancer. Once our life has been swept clean by the fires that are a cancer diagnosis and a cancer treatment, then we sit in the void of our damaged talents and broken dreams, then we begin to dream for a restoration. During this phase of survivorship, an individual can see their strengths, post cancer;, a survivor can be honest about their weaknesses, post-cancer. 

This season of restoration is a time to rebuild. It is a place for those who can s...

In this episode Lauren talks about the season after the void which is a fragile, tender season of growth. The painful experiences of cancer are in the past, but uncertainty still hangs in the air. There are many low moments as we first feel raw even in the slightest shifts in the wind, but there are other moments where we feel our strength rising. It is time for us to begin to design our new identity with the strengths and weaknesses we have today. Growth is a season where we learn to live with uncertainty. 

The best w...

The Void is the first season of survivorship that occurs in the first year after treatment. During treatment, all your strength focuses on surviving. Moving through your treatment calendar and recovering is all you can do. Then, one day, you ring the bell and get a certificate of completion. Someone declares treatments are over, and you are now “a survivor.” You walk out of the door of the cancer center and look at the parking lot, and wonder what comes next. This question, this uncertainty of the next step, is the beginning of the void. The first year after trea...

When mountains are on fire, you can smell it from 100s of miles away. Smoke fills the air and erases the horizon. Ash falls from the sky, and even the best moments are covered in a layer of someone else’s hopes that no longer exist.

When a terminal diagnosis surrounds you, your dreams are fluttering around those who are allowed to live. When your life is on fire, the mountains of your life are burning out of control, your mind is filled with smoke created by your former expectations, and everything is working together to choke yo...

There is a difference between a cure and being healed. 

A cure ensures no further damage is going to be done to your body or mind. A cure is what research creates and what a pink ribbon represents; it is what we think we want. 

Healing reverses all the damage, brokenness, and scars. Healing is what we need.  In this episode Lauren discusses how we need healing physically, but equally important is the emotional healing that needs to take place for each person that has been impacted by cancer, and that includes family and friends.

During the global pandemic, we all experience the impact of isolation. As humans, not only do we need social interaction and physical touch, but our mental health is also dependent on relationships. We are happiest when we live in community.

When cancer treatments end, our mind is exhausted. We are physically tired, relationally stretched thin and might feel completely helpless to make meaningful decisions about who we want to be. 

After cancer and its treatment, there is a void. During this season all the roads of life seem to have disappeared. Those you love and w...

How much thought do we give to protecting our true identity? Just as we would take time to purchase identity theft insurance, shred all personal documents or create unique and elaborate passwords for virtual interactions, we must develop rituals in life that preserve and protect our most authentic identity.

Identity is the set of expectations, strengths, and weaknesses that we possess. It also encompasses how our expectations and strengths relate to each other.

A pre-cancer identity is created in a state of innocence. It involves 25th anniversary trips to Hawaii, retirement plans that include cruises...

Most would assume that courage is the opposite of fear, but that is not so. Fear is a constricting emotional response to an expected negative outcome in the future.

The opposite of fear is joy. Joy is an expansive emotional response to an expected overwhelmingly positive outcome in every future situation. Lauren calls this irrational optimism.

In this podcast episode, she discusses fear and how to live in a perspective filled with curiosity and wonder using our imaginations to consider the best possible results instead of the worst.

In cancer we must increase...

We get manuals listing what to expect from the physical side effects of cancer and any medications or treatments we are on. There is so much information about the physical part of cancer, but nothing about the emotional toll cancer takes on the individual and the loved ones involved.

It is vital that we start recognizing the common emotional side effects of cancer so that those that are diagnosed in the future will be more prepared to heal from BOTH the physical and emotional.

Listen as Lauren talks about the three emotional side effects that...

In this episode Lauren shares about how the language we choose around cancer is important and it needs to address the person not just as a patient.

To find out more about Lauren's nonprofit Adventure Therapy go to www.adventurefound.org.

To visit Adventure Therapy's cancer coaching platform go to www.risefound.com

To visit Lauren's website go to www.laurenhuffmaster.com