Cancer Adventures has expanded beyond cancer—new name: Renew | Repurpose—with a mission of helping people discover fresh purpose in seasons of loss.
The concept of repurposing catches my imagination. It’s the idea of adapting something for a purpose other than its original intent — a purpose that can be just as valuable, and effective, and gorgeous.
Like this barn. Once a habitat for animals and hay, and maybe even varmints. And now a beautiful house.
Not my house
The New Jersey crew is on an epic cross-country road trip—six grandkids and two parents in an eight-passenger van—visiting family in Iowa, Utah, California, Oregon, Idaho.
And I’ve been re-experiencing the wonders of the Wild Wild West through their eyes.
Photo: Summer Conn
You may have heard how important it is to have supportive, like-minded, understanding people surround you. But support teams come with a high price tag, so you really want to consider the costs before you commit to plugging into community.
Here are 11 excellent reasons not to get involved with any kind of support team:
Part of the St. Charles Cancer Center hiking posse on top of Black Butte
While on a recent Middle Eastern adventure, my nieces and I crossed from Israel into Jordan and rode through barren wilderness to Petra, a historical and archaeological city named among the “New 7 Wonders of the World.”
The Treasury (photo: Breanna Canclini)
There were no mishaps in the past two weeks of traveling through Israel, and crossing the border into Jordan and Egypt.
Photo credit: Camel driver’s young son
No mishaps landing in San Francisco, getting through customs, or driving north to Oregon. Until.
Until — just ten minutes from home — my tire blew.
For a second time, I’m reading When Breath Becomes Air by surgeon and author Paul Kalanithi. At age 36 and on a career path that was spiraling upward, Dr. Kalanithi was rudely interrupted. By a lung cancer diagnosis.
Photo credit: Freeaudiobookguide.com
Recently, the title of an online article, “16 Tips for Continuing Bonds with People We’ve Lost,” caught my eye. Maintaining bonds with the people who have died? Really? Doesn’t that sound a bit communing-with-the-dead-ish?
But then I read the article and was surprised to discover I had done several things on the list.
Photo: Pixabay
Did you know that giving and volunteering stimulate the reward center in the brain, releasing endorphins and creating what is known as helper’s high?
And like other highs, this one is also addictive.
Photo credit: Unsplash
I’m at a coffee shop—one of those fabulous local places where the high ceilings thrum with industrial pipes and funky lighting, and a large garage door is open to let in the mountain air—waiting for two of my creative team members.
Photo: Unsplash
Jim and Michelle are meeting me here to brainstorm over some needed changes to website, brand name, tagline, purpose. Who do I want to reach? What’s the best way to get there?
Which means, stay tuned for some exciting changes!
On a fine spring day this week, I had a hankering (what a great word, hankering … does anyone use that word anymore?) to trek back to the place where I scattered my husband’s ashes after he died of cancer, after he lived much longer than the original prognosis: Ten preposterous, brimming, courageous years with late stage disease.
Broken Top standing guard over a frozen Todd Lake
Do you think there’s a difference between being spontaneous and being impulsive?
Copyright © 2026 Marlys Johnson
