Send us a text

Have you ever had someone completely misunderstand what you're going through after cancer? That moment when a well-meaning comment reveals just how wide the gap is between their perception and your reality?

When my nurse casually remarked I was "lucky" not to have periods anymore after chemotherapy, it sparked deeper reflection on how cancer forces our bodies onto timelines we never chose. That presumed "convenience" actually represents profound loss—the natural rhythms and feedback mechanisms our bodies use to communicate with us.

Before cancer, my menstrual cycle wasn't just a monthly occurrence but a reliable barometer for my overall health. As an athlete and during military deployments, changes in my cycle signaled when I needed rest or better nutrition. Losing this connection at age 45 created an unexpected void—one of many ways cancer survivors experience disconnection from bodies that feel like they've betrayed us.

This disconnection extends beyond menstruation. A friend who underwent mastectomy later faced the heartbreak of being unable to breastfeed her newborn. These moments highlight cancer's double cruelty: first the disease itself, then the permanent alterations to our natural life progression.

Yet within this altered timeline, we can find ways to reclaim agency. For me, this means replacing my monthly cycle with yearly adventures—specifically, leading expeditions to Mount Kilimanjaro. These self-chosen physical challenges rebuild trust with my body and create new rhythms on my terms.

If you're navigating similar post-cancer terrain, know your feelings of grief and loss are entirely valid. And if reclaiming your physical power appeals to you, consider joining our 2026 Kilimanjaro climb. Registration opens June 10th—perhaps the perfect opportunity to write a new chapter in your relationship with your body.

Support the show

? Have a question about our group trips? Book a call with Rebecca here: https://calendar.app.google/6wYbYugTCvJfXiWZ8

💪🏽 Get our Kilimanjaro Coaching: https://calendar.app.google/QW5JywkMYUpGcbsa8

✨ Do you want to sponsor Hike Like A Woman? Fill out our form: https://forms.gle/sXTcn2P9bVZ53Sqc6

/-/-/-/

TECH

▶️ Go-Pro: https://amzn.to/49yhSuq

▶️ DJI Wireless Microphone: https://amzn.to/49yhSuq

▶️ DJi Osmo Mobile Tripod: https://amzn.to/41q366E

/-/-/-/

SHOP

🥾 Rockporch (if you’re shopping REI or Moosejaw): https://app.rockporch.com/Profile/hikelikeawoman

🥾 Amazon (because ya know, we’re all doing it): https://www.amazon.com/shop/hikelikeawoman

🥾 Buy rad HLAW swag here: https://hikelikeawoman.creator-spring.com/

/-/-/-/

GROUP TRIPS

✈️ Join us for our next Kilimanjaro climb: https://trovatrip.com/trip/africa/tanzania/tanzania-with-hikelikeawoman-aug-2025

✈️ Join us for our group trip to Patagonia: https://trovatrip.com/trip/south-america/patagonia/argentina-with-rebecca-walsh-oct-2025

✈️ Book Tour du Mont Blanc Aug 16-22: ...

Send us a text

Watching my eighth-grader run the anchor leg of a relay race transformed into an unexpected mirror of my breast cancer journey. Despite being a full lap behind when he received the baton, my son never quit—he ran his heart out with no hope of winning. This powerful moment crystallized what life after cancer truly means.

When treatment ends, many survivors feel perpetually "a lap behind" as we witness how the world continued spinning while our lives were on pause. Careers advanced, relationships shifted, and we emerged into a reality that suddenly feels disorienting. Yet within this challenging transition lies profound wisdom.

Running your own race becomes essential after cancer. The pressure to "catch up" or return to your pre-diagnosis life can be overwhelming, but healing follows a deeply personal timeline. I've learned to release comparisons and embrace my new pace, finding strength in simply moving forward. Cancer forged resilience I never knew existed—a hard-earned gift amid the struggle that became my foundation for navigating life afterward.

Perhaps most transformative was redefining victory itself. Before cancer, I measured success by external achievements, constantly trying to "lap everyone around the track." Now, winning means being fully present for each moment—a practice my yoga teacher calls "being where your feet are." Whether I'm training for Kilimanjaro, watching my son compete, or sharing dinner with family, true success is showing up completely.

The next time cancer makes you feel impossibly behind, remember those anchor leg runners. The goal isn't crossing the finish line first—it's finding the courage to keep moving forward at whatever pace works for you. Your unique journey isn't a competition with others but a profound opportunity to discover what truly matters.

Support the show

? Have a question about our group trips? Book a call with Rebecca here: https://calendar.app.google/6wYbYugTCvJfXiWZ8

💪🏽 Get our Kilimanjaro Coaching: https://calendar.app.google/QW5JywkMYUpGcbsa8

✨ Do you want to sponsor Hike Like A Woman? Fill out our form: https://forms.gle/sXTcn2P9bVZ53Sqc6

/-/-/-/

TECH

▶️ Go-Pro: https://amzn.to/49yhSuq

▶️ DJI Wireless Microphone: https://amzn.to/49yhSuq

▶️ DJi Osmo Mobile Tripod: https://amzn.to/41q366E

/-/-/-/

SHOP

🥾 Rockporch (if you’re shopping REI or Moosejaw): https://app.rockporch.com/Profile/hikelikeawoman

🥾 Amazon (because ya know, we’re all doing it): https://www.amazon.com/shop/hikelikeawoman

🥾 Buy rad HLAW swag here: https://hikelikeawoman.creator-spring.com/

/-/-/-/

GROUP TRIPS

✈️ Join us for our next Kilimanjaro climb: https://trovatrip.com/trip/africa/tanzania/tanzania-with-hikelikeawoman-aug-2025

✈️ Join us for our group trip to Patagonia: https://trovatrip.com/trip/south-america/patagonia/argentina-with-rebecca-walsh-oct-2025

✈️ Book Tour du Mont Blanc Aug 16-22: ...

Send us a text

Support the show

? Have a question about our group trips? Book a call with Rebecca here: https://calendar.app.google/6wYbYugTCvJfXiWZ8

💪🏽 Get our Kilimanjaro Coaching: https://calendar.app.google/QW5JywkMYUpGcbsa8

✨ Do you want to sponsor Hike Like A Woman? Fill out our form: https://forms.gle/sXTcn2P9bVZ53Sqc6

/-/-/-/

TECH

▶️ Go-Pro: https://amzn.to/49yhSuq

▶️ DJI Wireless Microphone: https://amzn.to/49yhSuq

▶️ DJi Osmo Mobile Tripod: https://amzn.to/41q366E

/-/-/-/

SHOP

🥾 Rockporch (if you’re shopping REI or Moosejaw): https://app.rockporch.com/Profile/hikelikeawoman

🥾 Amazon (because ya know, we’re all doing it): https://www.amazon.com/shop/hikelikeawoman

🥾 Buy rad HLAW swag here: https://hikelikeawoman.creator-spring.com/

/-/-/-/

GROUP TRIPS

✈️ Join us for our next Kilimanjaro climb: https://trovatrip.com/trip/africa/tanzania/tanzania-with-hikelikeawoman-aug-2025

✈️ Join us for our group trip to Patagonia: https://trovatrip.com/trip/south-america/patagonia/argentina-with-rebecca-walsh-oct-2025

✈️ Book Tour du Mont Blanc Aug 16-22: ...

Send us a text

Support the show

? Have a question about our group trips? Book a call with Rebecca here: https://calendar.app.google/6wYbYugTCvJfXiWZ8

💪🏽 Get our Kilimanjaro Coaching: https://calendar.app.google/QW5JywkMYUpGcbsa8

✨ Do you want to sponsor Hike Like A Woman? Fill out our form: https://forms.gle/sXTcn2P9bVZ53Sqc6

/-/-/-/

TECH

▶️ Go-Pro: https://amzn.to/49yhSuq

▶️ DJI Wireless Microphone: https://amzn.to/49yhSuq

▶️ DJi Osmo Mobile Tripod: https://amzn.to/41q366E

/-/-/-/

SHOP

🥾 Rockporch (if you’re shopping REI or Moosejaw): https://app.rockporch.com/Profile/hikelikeawoman

🥾 Amazon (because ya know, we’re all doing it): https://www.amazon.com/shop/hikelikeawoman

🥾 Buy rad HLAW swag here: https://hikelikeawoman.creator-spring.com/

/-/-/-/

GROUP TRIPS

✈️ Join us for our next Kilimanjaro climb: https://trovatrip.com/trip/africa/tanzania/tanzania-with-hikelikeawoman-aug-2025

✈️ Join us for our group trip to Patagonia: https://trovatrip.com/trip/south-america/patagonia/argentina-with-rebecca-walsh-oct-2025

✈️ Book Tour du Mont Blanc Aug 16-22: ...

Send us a text

The emotional landscape after cancer treatment catches many survivors off guard. What most people don't anticipate is how something as seemingly benign as a comment about growing hair can trigger a cascade of complex feelings.

My experience walking down that cancer center hallway—gray, curly hair growing back after chemo, feeling like a stranger in my own body—revealed just how unprepared I was for the emotional aftermath of treatment. When that nurse called out "your hair looks great" and responded to my ambivalence with "just be glad you have hair," I was thrust into a whirlwind of shame, anger, and confusion. Why did I feel so sensitive? Why couldn't I just be grateful?

Through therapy and reflection, I discovered what many cancer survivors eventually learn: healing involves giving yourself permission to feel everything. The anger at what cancer took from you. The sadness over changes to your appearance. The frustration when others expect you to maintain a perpetually grateful attitude. These feelings exist alongside moments of joy, relief, and genuine gratitude—and all are valid parts of the recovery journey.

For anyone supporting someone through or after cancer, remember that asking "how are you feeling?" creates more meaningful connection than commenting on appearance. And for fellow survivors navigating this complicated terrain: your feelings are valid, your journey is your own, and you're doing remarkably well navigating a path few truly understand until they've walked it themselves. The real healing begins when we acknowledge the full spectrum of our emotions without judgment.

Support the show

? Have a question about our group trips? Book a call with Rebecca here: https://calendar.app.google/6wYbYugTCvJfXiWZ8

💪🏽 Get our Kilimanjaro Coaching: https://calendar.app.google/QW5JywkMYUpGcbsa8

✨ Do you want to sponsor Hike Like A Woman? Fill out our form: https://forms.gle/sXTcn2P9bVZ53Sqc6

/-/-/-/

TECH

▶️ Go-Pro: https://amzn.to/49yhSuq

▶️ DJI Wireless Microphone: https://amzn.to/49yhSuq

▶️ DJi Osmo Mobile Tripod: https://amzn.to/41q366E

/-/-/-/

SHOP

🥾 Rockporch (if you’re shopping REI or Moosejaw): https://app.rockporch.com/Profile/hikelikeawoman

🥾 Amazon (because ya know, we’re all doing it): https://www.amazon.com/shop/hikelikeawoman

🥾 Buy rad HLAW swag here: https://hikelikeawoman.creator-spring.com/

/-/-/-/

GROUP TRIPS

✈️ Join us for our next Kilimanjaro climb: https://trovatrip.com/trip/africa/tanzania/tanzania-with-hikelikeawoman-aug-2025

✈️ Join us for our group trip to Patagonia: https://trovatrip.com/trip/south-america/patagonia/argentina-with-rebecca-walsh-oct-2025

✈️ Book Tour du Mont Blanc Aug 16-22: ...

Send us a text

Words shape our reality, especially when facing life-altering diagnoses. My cancer journey began December 7th, 2021—terrible timing for a small business owner with three ventures heading into the holiday rush. But beyond the logistical nightmare was an unexpected challenge: finding language that authentically described my experience.

Days after my diagnosis, while working alone in my shop trying to process genetic testing decisions, a well-meaning stranger approached. He insisted I was already a "survivor," though I'd barely begun facing cancer. As he continued his unsolicited pep talk, I felt increasingly disconnected from this label thrust upon me. The discomfort only deepened as others encouraged me to "stay in the fight" and "kick cancer's ass." Having served two deployments in Iraq, these battle metaphors rang hollow—I'd entered war feeling prepared and trained, while cancer left me feeling utterly vulnerable and unprepared.

Throughout treatment, I struggled to find accurate terminology. After surgery removed the tumor, I couldn't say "I have cancer," but "I had cancer" didn't capture my ongoing experience. What surprised me most was discovering that despite cancer's prevalence, we lack nuanced vocabulary for describing this complex journey. While some find empowerment in "survivor" or "thriver" labels, these terms can also create pressure or minimize ongoing challenges. The language that finally resonated for me was simply "someone who experienced cancer"—acknowledging what happened without letting it define me. What matters most is allowing each person to choose their own cancer terminology, honoring the deeply personal nature of this journey and the power of language to shape how we heal.

What terminology resonates with your cancer experience? Join the conversation and share your thoughts.

Support the show

? Have a question about our group trips? Book a call with Rebecca here: https://calendar.app.google/6wYbYugTCvJfXiWZ8

💪🏽 Get our Kilimanjaro Coaching: https://calendar.app.google/QW5JywkMYUpGcbsa8

✨ Do you want to sponsor Hike Like A Woman? Fill out our form: https://forms.gle/sXTcn2P9bVZ53Sqc6

/-/-/-/

TECH

▶️ Go-Pro: https://amzn.to/49yhSuq

▶️ DJI Wireless Microphone: https://amzn.to/49yhSuq

▶️ DJi Osmo Mobile Tripod: https://amzn.to/41q366E

/-/-/-/

SHOP

🥾 Rockporch (if you’re shopping REI or Moosejaw): https://app.rockporch.com/Profile/hikelikeawoman

🥾 Amazon (because ya know, we’re all doing it): https://www.amazon.com/shop/hikelikeawoman

🥾 Buy rad HLAW swag here: https://hikelikeawoman.creator-spring.com/

/-/-/-/

GROUP TRIPS

✈️ Join us for our next Kilimanjaro climb: https://trovatrip.com/trip/africa/tanzania/tanzania-with-hikelikeawoman-aug-2025

✈️ Join us for our group trip to Patagonia: https://trovatrip.com/trip/south-america/patagonia/argentina-with-rebecca-walsh-oct-2025

✈️ Book Tour du Mont Blanc Aug 16-22: ...

Send us a text

What happens when the place that saved your life becomes the trigger for your deepest trauma? Standing in the parking lot of my cancer center, just a mile from my home, my body betrays me with each visit—racing heart, metallic taste, nausea—physical reminders of the chemotherapy, radiation, and countless needle sticks that occurred within those walls.

For three years following my breast cancer diagnosis, these "cancer days" dragged me into a predictable spiral of anxiety, depression, and isolation. Until suddenly, they didn't. After 40 months, something shifted unexpectedly after a family vacation. Walking into my oncology appointment without the usual meltdown, completing my checkup without anxiety, and—most surprisingly—returning to work instead of collapsing on the couch with junk food and reality TV. The realization was profound: I could finally say "I'm okay" and truly mean it.

The unspoken truth of survivorship is that there's no guidebook for rebuilding your life after cancer treatment ends. Society expects you to feel grateful, energetic, and "back to normal" when everything about your reality has transformed. You're supposed to trust a body that betrayed you, feel healthy while managing medication side effects, and confidently discuss your experience when you're still processing the trauma. These impossible expectations only deepen the isolation. My journey revealed three essential elements for moving forward: a meaningful goal (climbing Mount Kilimanjaro), finding community with others who understand, and developing the grit necessary to face an uncertain future. Whether you're navigating cancer or another life-altering challenge, these principles—goal, group, and grit—offer a framework for finding your way when there is no map. Join me every Tuesday morning as we explore what it truly means to build a life after cancer.

Support the show

? Have a question about our group trips? Book a call with Rebecca here: https://calendar.app.google/6wYbYugTCvJfXiWZ8

💪🏽 Get our Kilimanjaro Coaching: https://calendar.app.google/QW5JywkMYUpGcbsa8

✨ Do you want to sponsor Hike Like A Woman? Fill out our form: https://forms.gle/sXTcn2P9bVZ53Sqc6

/-/-/-/

TECH

▶️ Go-Pro: https://amzn.to/49yhSuq

▶️ DJI Wireless Microphone: https://amzn.to/49yhSuq

▶️ DJi Osmo Mobile Tripod: https://amzn.to/41q366E

/-/-/-/

SHOP

🥾 Rockporch (if you’re shopping REI or Moosejaw): https://app.rockporch.com/Profile/hikelikeawoman

🥾 Amazon (because ya know, we’re all doing it): https://www.amazon.com/shop/hikelikeawoman

🥾 Buy rad HLAW swag here: https://hikelikeawoman.creator-spring.com/

/-/-/-/

GROUP TRIPS

✈️ Join us for our next Kilimanjaro climb: https://trovatrip.com/trip/africa/tanzania/tanzania-with-hikelikeawoman-aug-2025

✈️ Join us for our group trip to Patagonia: https://trovatrip.com/trip/south-america/patagonia/argentina-with-rebecca-walsh-oct-2025

✈️ Book Tour du Mont Blanc Aug 16-22: ...

Send us a text

A profound shift is happening. After a decade of leading Hike Like a Woman, I'm transforming this platform into something deeply personal yet universally resonant. During a coffee conversation with a young military friend facing trauma, her question struck me to my core: "How do I move forward after something horrific?" While hiking solo through Moab's desert trails, the answer crystallized—my experiences with breast cancer, military service, and rebuilding life after trauma could serve others in ways my hiking content alone never could.

The statistics are alarming. One in eight American women will face breast cancer, but for female veterans who served in Iraq or Afghanistan, that risk skyrockets to one in four or five. My generation of veterans stands at the precipice of a potential reproductive cancer epidemic, yet these stories often remain untold. Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro became my north star after cancer treatment—a tangible goal that helped me reclaim my body and spirit when everything familiar had been stripped away. That journey taught me lessons too valuable to keep to myself.

Starting next week, this podcast transforms into The Rebecca Walsh Show, dedicated to cancer recovery, life after trauma, and finding purpose through life's most challenging terrains. I'll continue posting audio episodes every Tuesday, complemented by video content where I'll share stories from the forest. For those still seeking hiking and adventure content, Hike Like a Woman continues as a separate platform. If you've connected with my story, I invite you to join the community I'm building—whether through this podcast, my new YouTube channel, or the Kilimanjaro coaching Patreon. Sometimes our most difficult paths lead to our greatest purpose. Will you walk this new trail with me?

Support the show

? Have a question about our group trips? Book a call with Rebecca here: https://calendar.app.google/6wYbYugTCvJfXiWZ8

💪🏽 Get our Kilimanjaro Coaching: https://calendar.app.google/QW5JywkMYUpGcbsa8

✨ Do you want to sponsor Hike Like A Woman? Fill out our form: https://forms.gle/sXTcn2P9bVZ53Sqc6

/-/-/-/

TECH

▶️ Go-Pro: https://amzn.to/49yhSuq

▶️ DJI Wireless Microphone: https://amzn.to/49yhSuq

▶️ DJi Osmo Mobile Tripod: https://amzn.to/41q366E

/-/-/-/

SHOP

🥾 Rockporch (if you’re shopping REI or Moosejaw): https://app.rockporch.com/Profile/hikelikeawoman

🥾 Amazon (because ya know, we’re all doing it): https://www.amazon.com/shop/hikelikeawoman

🥾 Buy rad HLAW swag here: https://hikelikeawoman.creator-spring.com/

/-/-/-/

GROUP TRIPS

✈️ Join us for our next Kilimanjaro climb: https://trovatrip.com/trip/africa/tanzania/tanzania-with-hikelikeawoman-aug-2025

✈️ Join us for our group trip to Patagonia: https://trovatrip.com/trip/south-america/patagonia/argentina-with-rebecca-walsh-oct-2025

✈️ Book Tour du Mont Blanc Aug 16-22: ...