Hello friends and family!
I'm Taking on a New Challenge for Breast Cancer Research
Many of you know that breast cancer has touched my life in a very personal way.
This year, I've been given an incredible opportunity to participate in an Expedition Inspiration fundraising trek. Expedition Inspiration is a nonprofit organization that raises money for breast cancer research while also helping survivors reconnect with their bodies, strength, and confidence through outdoor adventure.
As a breast cancer survivor, this mission speaks deeply to me.
Over the coming months, I'll be training for this hike and challenging myself physically in ways I never imagined when I was going through treatment. Every step I take is a reminder of how far I've come, and of the many women and families who are still facing this disease.
I'm also committed to raising funds to support innovative breast cancer research and programs that provide hope, education, and support to those affected by breast cancer. Since its founding, Expedition Inspiration has helped fund more than $2 million in breast cancer research and continues to invest in promising young researchers working toward better treatments and, ultimately, a cure.
If you'd like to support me on this journey, I would be incredibly grateful. Every donation, no matter the size, makes a difference. If donating isn't possible, your encouragement, prayers, and sharing of this message mean just as much.
Thank you for supporting me as I work hard to get to the summit of Galena Peak and for helping create hope for those impacted by breast cancer.
With So Much Gratitude,
Amy
Marriage of science and survivorship:
Expedition Inspiration funds an annual Young Investigator Award. This $25,000 grant is funded to a young investigator at a critical time in the development of their careers as clinical breast cancer scientists and junior faculty members. Previous YIA recipients include an impressive cohort of researchers many of whom are leading major institutions and are making impactful contributions to the field of breast cancer research. In addition to funding YIA, EI hosts a research symposium called the Laura Evans Memorial Breast Cancer Symposium. Top researchers from the breast cancer research community share the latest in regards to targeted therapies, clinical trials, treatment updates, alternative therapies, proactive measures, and more.
In addition to supporting breast cancer research, Expedition Inspiration supports women affected by this disease. Our survivorship program allows women to reconnect with their bodies, minds, and spirits through hiking and mountain climbing. Through these outdoor adventures and celebrations, Expedition Inspiration is not only raising spirits and hope, but also raising critical funds for research.
June 14, 2026
Nineteen years ago, I had a son. Today is Jake's birthday! For his birthday, Mike and I hiked 6 miles on Corral's Trail off of Bogus Basin road. I was listening to a podcast this past week, where Mel Robbins was talking about her tour and they were interviewing people. This one woman mentioned it was her birthday and all she wished for was to beat cancer. Mel proceeded to say this woman was fighting for her life, and the announcer had asked everyone at the tour if they could help grant her wish. They all screamed yes! Nine years ago, I was fighting for my life, and now, today, I am hiking so that maybe a young scientist will be able to find a cure, so that no one will have to fight cancer again.
It's starting to get a bit hotter during the day, so we will need to start our hikes earlier. This is my second hike on this trail. The views are beautiful, but I still miss the trees of Washington State. My toe joints hurt some, but overall, I love hiking. I will write more as each hike progresses. Thanks for reading.
June 19, 2026
Blogging. I've never blogged before. I actually have a very hard time sharing my inner thoughts, unless you catch me in a moment where I will verbally word-vomit all over you and everything comes out. Most of the time, I get pushed along by life and keep it all in. I probably shouldn't do that. A couple weekends ago, I was at a very lovely retreat hosted by Casting for Recovery, and we were all in a circle and others were talking about their journeys relating to that C word, and I just broke down. I couldn't speak, I couldn't stop, and I was full on ugly crying. I mean, snot everywhere, I-need-a-box-of-tissues-now, maybe a second box, and after about 20 minutes, still unable to stop, I had to get up and walk outside for some air. I had all these really big feelings, and I had no idea what to do with them. Every peson there understood. Every person there loved me for me anyway. I learned that I was safe, and it was okay to let it out, let it go, and heal just a little bit more. I am so grateful for those women, and for that moment.
I am grateful for this space, too. I'm grateful I get to hike and hopefully contribute to something bigger than me, and maybe help someone else heal at the same time. Oh, and by the way, I will tell you about my cancer story, but I need to run off to get ready for my Strength Together class at the Y. Today is a holiday and I didn't have to go to work, so I am working on my life goals of getting in movement and strength whereever I can get it in. My class starts in about an hour....so I'm off! More later.
June 27, 2026
It's a wonderfully rainy weekend! I'm so happy for the thunderstorms!! ...But it does make hiking challenging. Boo for that. I did get to do some strength classes this past week at the Y, and I got to go rock climbing with my Casting for Recovery fly fishing guide! She's a really really good climber! I need to remember for next time to never try and rock climb after taking a strength class...my arms felt like rubber! I pooped out after about 30 minutes. But, I did get to talk, bond, and watch other wonderful people climb. I was sad to learn that Asana Climbing Gym will have to close their doors in November. They are having to relocate, and are still looking for a good place to re-open. I hope they won't have to close their doors forever. My husband would take our kids there while I was going through chemo treatments, to give them a fun experience, and to allow me to sleep and rest. I was diagnosed with breast cancer in my left breast at the end of August in 2017. I got my port put in a week later, and started chemo a week after that. We had just moved here a year prior, and still didn't know many people. I am so grateful for the wonderful neighbors I have, because many of them pitched in and helped us. I was 43 years old, and my kids were still in elementary school. My parents flew down to help too. I feel very fortunate.
I think I will plan to get a punch card from Asana and try and keep going every week- it's good for muscle building and balance stuff too! Which helps with a good hiking experience. It has a really good vibe there, and really nice people. I am grateful for that. And for those of you who are reading this, and have donated to EI, and/or considering it, I am so grateful for you also. Thank you for being on this journey with me. And to all my new friends I get to hike with, I am honored I get to spend that time with you...<3
July 9, 2026
Where is the time going? I can't believe it's July already. And boy, is it hot in Boise! Last weekend, we tried to hike in the morning, but woke up too late for a decent climb. I am mentally trying to prepare myself for getting up at o' dark hours when the temps are still cool, and the sun hasn't appeared yet. It's really the best and only way in July heat. Strength training has been going well, and I got to rock climb again a little with my CFR friend- you know who you are! ;) My body is feeling tired, like all the heat is sucking out all my energy. So this will be a short update, because I keep reading and hearing that sleep is soooo important, and it's past my bedtime right now! Like lately, sleep is something that is more valuable than gold. And I am feeling like I need it for sure! I feel so much better after at least 8 hours, which is rare these days. But at least I'm keeping at it. I have a lot to be grateful for...like hopefully more time outdoors very soon! Good night!
July 16,2026
Today I got in the car and drove to the beautiful Northwest with my husband and daughter. We stopped in North Bend, WA and hiked a few hours at Rattlesnake Ledge. Oh my! It is just beautiful there. Years ago, when my kids were little, we lived in North Bend and would go hiking on this ridge every so often. Oh how I've missed the lush green forest, big boulders, and beautiful tall trees. By the time we were done, we were hungry for some pho and then hit the road again to check in to our cute little Airbnb in Ferndale. Tomorrow, we enter Canada (hopefully) and will, in the coming days, go to the Saturday farmer's market, hang out on the stretch of beach at Dan's and hike the Skookumchuck trail and/or the Mount Elphinstone Trail. I am excited. The air here smells so fresh! Will check in again soon!
August 8,2026
Wow! A month just flew by.
This past month, I got to visit one of my favorite places in Canada, hike some absolutely beautiful trails, and then come home to Idaho to find much of our area surrounded by wildfires and smoke.
Unfortunately, smoky skies and poor air quality don’t exactly make for ideal outdoor training—or enjoyable hiking—when fresh air is pretty important! Nevertheless, my hiking cohorts and I are staying positive, doing what we can, and continuing to prepare. I’ve kept up with my strength training at the local Y and have been spending plenty of time walking on treadmills with the incline cranked up as high as it will go.
And now…the big day is just one week away!
I’m really excited to spend time with this group of incredible women—some new-found friends and some I’ve known for a while—and to share this experience together. Whether a hike is in our future next weekend or Mother Nature decides we need to wait until the heat settles down and the fires have mostly passed, we will find a way to get on that trail together.
For some of us, being cautious isn’t optional. Radiation, chemotherapy, and other cancer treatments can leave lasting effects on our hearts and lungs. We have to listen to our bodies and make smart choices.
But that certainly doesn’t mean we can’t come together for this amazing cause.
So if you’re still on the fence about donating, I’m asking you once again to please consider it. This is a cause I am incredibly excited to support because we need more scientists researching women’s health and cancer care. We need more research into prevention, better treatments, and treatments that are more effective and less invasive.
My own experience with cancer treatment, like that of so many others, was really, really hard. I survived it, but there was a point during chemotherapy when I felt so awful and so overwhelmed that I honestly didn’t know if I wanted to keep going through it.
I never want to feel that way again—and I don’t want anyone else to have to feel the way I did during treatment.
My doctors and nurses were amazing and took wonderful care of me, but cancer treatment was still incredibly difficult. That is why I would love to see more education and research focused not only on treating cancer, but on preventing it in the first place and finding kinder, more effective ways to treat it when it does happen.
Someday, I hope there is a cure.
And I wholeheartedly believe the answer will come through people who keep asking questions, keep researching, keep supporting one another, and refuse to stop believing that we can do better.
I’m incredibly grateful to be one small part of that effort.
August 18 — I Did It.
Well, I did it. I climbed Galena Peak on Saturday, August 15th.
I went farther up a mountain than I ever have before—and in so many ways, I think I went farther within myself, too.
Our day started at 3:45 a.m. when we rolled out of bed and started getting ready. I can confidently say my body does not respond particularly well at that hour! My brain took a little while to catch up with everything the other women were telling me as I tried to remember all the things I needed to do before we left. Thankfully, we had packed most of our food and water the night before, I had my clothes laid out, and—perhaps most importantly—I remembered my headlamp.
We arrived at Galena Lodge around 5:00 a.m., made one last stop at the porta-potty, and began hiking at 5:30 in the morning.
And we had a deadline.
A storm was moving in, and if we were going to summit, we needed to make it happen in about three hours. We also needed to be safely back down by noon, before lightning and rain made an already steep and challenging mountainside even more difficult.
I pushed myself in ways I didn’t know I could.
I am terrified of heights.
Climbing Cervidae last May helped me face some of that fear, but going into Galena I worried that I hadn't trained enough for the exposure and elevation. There were moments when we would stop and look around, and I knew that if I turned my head too far or focused too much on just how high we were, I could feel myself starting to panic. I would become overwhelmed by the steepness beneath me and worry about losing my balance—something I have also been working hard to improve.
There were definitely a few mini-panic attacks along the way.
And let me tell you: going down a mountain is an entirely different ballgame!
But I wasn't doing it alone.
Jeff, from the Expedition Inspiration board, and Annie, our guide, were incredible. They showed us where to step, how to use our trekking poles, and how to navigate terrain that sometimes felt completely outside my comfort zone. They kept conversation going, made us laugh, and somehow helped keep my mind from convincing me that at any moment I was going to tumble hundreds of feet down the mountain.
Step by step, I kept going.
And I reached so many personal goals on that mountain—but looking back, some of the most meaningful parts of the weekend didn't happen on the trail at all.
I shared. I cried. I laughed. And I bonded with this incredible group of women who, like me, are cancer survivors.
We were treated like queens. We participated in a sound bath. We made bracelets. We laughed until our sides hurt over stories that ranged from completely ridiculous to deeply heartfelt. We shared pieces of ourselves that aren't always easy to share.
And somewhere in all of that, healing happened.
Hailey, our hostess for the weekend, is simply pure joy and encouragement. She created a space where every one of us could show up exactly as we were—no pretending, no expectations, no need to have everything figured out. Just space to be our authentic selves.
I don't think I fully realized how much I needed that until it was over.
Yes, I climbed a mountain this weekend. But what Expedition Inspiration gave me—and what these women gave one another—was so much bigger than reaching a summit.
It was connection. Courage. Laughter. Vulnerability. Friendship. Healing.
And a reminder that none of us has to walk through the hard things alone.
I plan to continue sharing here on and off throughout the remainder of this year, because this experience and this mission don't end when the hike does.
And if you've been following along with me, I hope you'll consider being part of it too.
Even a $20 donation matters. Every single contribution helps support cancer research and the scientists working toward better treatments, better prevention, and ultimately a future where fewer people and families have to hear the words, “You have cancer.”
And to those of you who have already donated, encouraged me, followed along, sent messages, prayed, cheered, or supported this journey in any way—I am deeply grateful.
You helped me get up that mountain, too. ??