2-Time Cancer Survivor Hikes 335 Miles for Rural Screening

Twenty years after his first cancer diagnosis as a college student, Jason Cronen faced the disease again in April 2024. Instead of retreating, he's turning survival into a mission that could save thousands of lives.

This June, the Charleston native will hike 335 miles across Turkey's Lycian Way, one of the world's most challenging coastal trails. He's doing it to raise awareness and funding for cancer screening in rural communities where 43 percent of men have never been screened.

Cronen's first battle began in 2004 at the College of Charleston when doctors found stage three cancer. Emergency surgery the next day launched a year of intensive chemotherapy and multiple operations at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.

His second diagnosis two decades later changed everything. After an extended medical leave, Cronen decided his survival needed to mean something bigger.

The Lycian Way winds through steep Mediterranean cliffs and rugged mountain terrain, following ancient coastal trading routes. Attempting this thru-hike while living with cancer represents an extraordinary physical undertaking, but Cronen sees it as a reflection of what cancer patients endure every day.

"Facing cancer a second time sharpened my focus," Cronen says. "A man's location should not dictate his survival. That is a barrier we need to break."

Why This Inspires

Rural cancer patients face massive barriers to screening and treatment that their urban counterparts never encounter. Distance, cost, and lack of facilities create deadly delays in detection.

Cronen's campaign has already raised over $8,300 toward a $25,000 goal for Movember and rural cancer screening access. More than 100 donors have contributed, and major partners including HOKA, Johnson & Johnson, and Travel Massive have signed on as Trail Partners.

The campaign plans to launch five to six pilot screening programs across the US, Europe, Turkey, and Asia beginning in 2027. Cronen is building a real-time platform combining live trail updates, personal stories, and cinematography from the hike, all translated into 10 languages to reach underserved communities worldwide.

"Adventure and storytelling are central to our community, and Jason's fundraising hike reflects both in a powerful way," says Ian Cumming, founder of Travel Massive, one of the world's largest travel communities.

Every step Cronen takes across those 335 miles represents a step toward closing the gap between rural and urban cancer survival rates.