Gretchen Simpson was shocked when she was diagnosed with stage 2 triple positive breast cancer in early 2021. She ate healthy, exercised regularly, and had no family history of cancer. She was subsequently surprised by how much love and support she received from her friends and community throughout her cancer journey. Friends picked her up at 5 a.m. for the two-hour drive for treatment and doctor’s appointments, spent the day with her, cooked her meals, and supported her in the form of visits, texts, and cards. 

In the summer of 2022, Gretchen attended summer camp with Epic Experience and had a transformative moment in her life. She had been having doubts about her ability to participate in an activity, when she had a conversation that taught her that “it’s okay to try and fail.” That mindset changed her week and helped her embrace every activity. She also took that mindset home: “the permission to fail allows me to try new things. That opened up my life, my world, when I came back.”

Gretchen shared these words of wisdom for cancer survivors: “Cancer is life-changing but be open to the transformative process. There’s still much joy along the way. You heard about some of my hardships but there are so many majestic moments that happen with loved ones in the messy middle of cancer. You may have to find them, but they are there." 

Learn more about how Epic Experience empowers cancer survivors to live beyond cancer at www.epicexperience.org