Live by Living

Live by Living – Hiking Program

— Hikes will begin in January 2025 —

Join us for walks, hikes, snowshoe trips, and peaceful moments in nature to support healing for oncology patients, survivors, and caregivers. CSC Southwest Colorado is excited to renew its partnership with Live By Living to bring Walks into Wellness and Hikes into Health to Southwest Colorado! These groups offer supportive ways to improve well-being and strength after cancer treatment. Studies show hiking and walking help reduce cancer-related fatigue, anxiety, and depression.

We’re currently training hike leaders and will begin hikes in January.

Find more information on upcoming activities in Live by Living‘s community calendar.

We are always looking for more Walk and Hike Leaders, if you are interested in volunteering please visit Live By Living Volunteer for more information.

What Live By Living Does
Live By Living is dedicated to connecting cancer survivors and caregivers to nature and one another via walks, hikes and mountain retreats, as well as online classes.

• Walk Into Wellness
  Our walks offer a great place to start — or maintain — your journey into better health. Walks are easy, paved and flat, but still connect you with nature. With our caring volunteers, this fun and engaging series will help boost your physical activity and spirits, wherever you are in your cancer journey.
• Hike Into Health
  Hikes vary in difficulty, and are generally 3 to 4 miles long. This adventurous series will help you increase aerobic conditioning while having fun with a small group of hikers.
• Cancer to 14K
  In this 10-week hiking-based conditioning program, you and your fellow survivors train to either climb a 14,000΄ peak or hike 14,000 steps to an amazing alpine lake.
• Survivor-Caregiver Retreats
  Unplug from daily life and immerse yourself in the beauty of nature. Make new friends who “get it.” Challenge yourself physically, and gain new strength in facing life challenges. You’ll agree our retreats are life-changing.
• Online Classes
  Engage with a community of people who understand cancer’s challenges from the comfort of home. Current online offerings include mindfulness, Pilates, and strength training.

Why Do It?

• Nature Heals
  Cancer brings a slew of emotional, psychological and spiritual challenges. Nature gives you new perspective to meet these challenges. As Rachel Carson said, “Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts. There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature — the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after winter.”
• Exercise Strengthens
  It’s not just good for your heart, exercise reduces the risk of recurrence for several cancers. It can be as effective as drugs in treating depression. It reduces anxiety and cancer-related fatigue. It even reduces the risk of dementia. If it were a pill, you’d pay anything for it. Instead, it’s free. And with Live By Living, it’s fun.
• Sharing Supports
  Cancer is isolating. Being with others who have traveled a similar journey helps you realize you are not alone, and gives you a new sense of support.

Live By Living is inspired by the life of Julie Wrend. First diagnosed with breast cancer when she was 34, Julie considered the mountains and deserts to be her church.

Guided by Julie’s example, Live By Living harnesses the solace of nature, the health benefits of exercise and the camaraderie of shared experience to give survivors and caregivers new skills to chart their own journey through life.