Healing from cancer doesn’t just happen in the hospital—it can also take place on the trail. This is something that Dan Miller, Founder and Executive Director of Live By Living, came to understand through his own experience as a caregiver.

Dan’s wife Julie Wrend was diagnosed with breast cancer at 34. Throughout her treatment, Dan and Julie found solace in the outdoors by hiking, backpacking, and skiing through Colorado’s rugged mountains. When Julie passed away in 2007, Dan was driven by a desire to help others facing similar struggles.

“I thought a meaningful tribute to her would be to create an organization where I could share the benefits that she and I had gotten from being outside with other people who were dealing with cancer,” Dan reflects. “We found that any time there was a setback it was very, very helpful to us emotionally and physically to go out in nature for a hike or to go skiing, even just a walk in a local park.”

Dan’s journey with Julie led him to launch Live By Living in 2009. The organization provides opportunities for cancer patients, survivors, and caregivers to tap into the healing power of nature through a range of free programs, including walks, hikes, mountain retreats, and online classes. One of its most intensive programs, “Cancer to 14K,” is a 10-week training course that culminates either in a 14,000-step hike or summiting a 14,000-foot peak. As Managing Director Katie Paganucci puts it, Live By Living is built on three principles: “nature heals, exercise strengthens, and sharing supports.”

Live By Living encourages healthy habits, from consistent exercise to mindful eating. But one of its biggest benefits is creating connections and community. “It’s like magic,” Dan observes. “It takes maybe 20 minutes for people who have never met each other to become fast friends, to form relationships. They talk about cancer when they want, but they don’t have to talk about cancer. They can talk about how annoying their teenagers are, or the latest TV show they’re binging.”

Something that sets Live By Living apart is its focus not just on cancer survivors and patients, but also on the people who care for them. “Cancer survivors often feel abandoned after treatment, and there’s not a lot in the way of support services for them. But there is nothing for caregivers,” Dan stresses. “I was a caregiver. It’s brutal. It’s really, really hard. Cancer can be a horrible disease. So I’m glad that we’re one of the few organizations that caters to caregivers as well as survivors.”

Live By Living is made possible through the contributions of its volunteers, who lead walks, hikes, and retreats. “Our volunteers provide first-class service,” Katie explains. “They carry participants’ packs, get them settled, cook very healthy meals. That helps create community, because we have many participants who turn into volunteers.”

One such participant-turned-volunteer is Ed Robb, a lifelong hiker who was treated for bladder cancer in 2013. Ed was initially hesitant to hike with Live By Living, but after finally giving it a try, he had such a great time that he returned as a volunteer. Now, he’s been leading walks and hikes for 10 years.

For Ed, one of the greatest rewards of volunteering is seeing the progress that participants make: “We have plenty of people who come out to hike with us who are doing things that they didn’t think they could do. That’s a thrill. I have no idea how many people have crossed paths with us to hike, but each one has experienced something.”

Laura Roberts, who was diagnosed with advanced breast cancer, has made significant strides through Live By Living. She recalls how difficult those early days were, saying, “When I first started, I literally would take 10 steps and I would have to stop and catch my breath.” Four years later, with the encouragement of volunteers like Ed and Stephanie Lenkey, Laura accomplished a tall task: hiking to the top of North Table Mountain.

Nature heals, exercise strengthens, and sharing supports.

Being part of a positive community and getting outside played a transformative role in Laura’s recovery. “I wasn’t actually living; I was existing,” Laura shares. “I was feeling very isolated and so depressed. I just thought: this is it. I have to take responsibility to heal myself, and be in a supportive group of people who understand that.”

Live By Living is continuing to grow, with programs now running across Colorado and expanding into Iowa. Dan and Katie are dedicated to increasing access to activities, helping more people affected by cancer experience a sense of belonging and the therapeutic power of nature. With each hike, Live By Living proves that healing happens one step at a time.

Associated Case Study: Live By Living

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