Hey, we are Steph Zoschke's groupies here in Hinton, and we're organizing this fundraiser for her, our friend, coworker and fellow adventure seeker. Steph is a brilliant, strong, and fiercely independent woman who recently found out she’s dealing with something a lot more serious than heartburn.

After nearly a year of nagging stomach issues and “is-this-just-heartburn?” moments, Steph's gut instinct was proven right. She has been diagnosed with stage 4 stomach/esophagus cancer. The one thing she’s got going for her (besides sheer stubborn grit)? She’s relatively young, strong as hell, and mentally tougher than most people you’ll meet.

This diagnosis came not long after Stephanie had already shown just how bold and self-reliant she is. She recently took a leap of faith and moved across the country—away from the familiar and into new terrain—driven by her sense of independence, adventure, and a readiness to chase opportunity. She was building a new chapter in her life with confidence… and now, unexpectedly, that path includes fighting cancer.

Steph is now on medical leave from her job—where she quickly rose through the ranks to become a manager because, well, that’s what happens when you’re razor sharp and quietly unstoppable. Outside of work, she’s a force of nature—literally. She loves mountain climbing, trail running, hiking, and horses, and was even training for ultramarathons. (Because clearly regular marathons just weren’t enough of a challenge.)

She also has someone very special by her side through all of this—her beloved dog Millie. Millie is more than a pet—she’s a loyal companion, trail buddy, and emotional support animal with fur and opinions. And along with Millie is Terry, Steph’s partner in crime and adventure.

Terry is cut from the same cloth as Steph: adventurous, strong, and grounded. When he lost his home in the Jasper wildfire, Steph was there to support him. Now he’s showing up for her—offering the same strength, stability, and love that makes them such an incredible team. You might even say they’re a match made in Yawn’s heaven (definitely not Jailin’s).

The Reality

With treatment starting soon, likely starting with chemo, Steph has had to uproot her life. She’s moving five hours away to live with Terry, who will help care for her through everything ahead. Friends are currently packing up her Hinton apartment - things are happening quickly!

They’re trying to find a new apartment in a city where rentals are nearly mythical—especially ones with space for recovery, support, and one scrappy, four-legged best friend.

The most urgent need right now? Flying in her parents from across the country to be with her during surgery and recovery. Between last-minute flights, extended hotel stays, and the fact that this will be a long journey with multiple visits, costs are already piling up.

How You Can Help

Steph is someone who shows up for people—at work, in life, on the trail. Now it’s our turn to show up for her.

We’re raising funds to help cover:

Any amount helps. Truly. Whether it’s $10 or $100, it means one less thing for Steph and her family to stress about while she focuses on healing (and eventually getting back to chasing mountain goats up a ridge somewhere—with Millie and Terry in tow, of course).

Please Donate or Share

If you know Steph—or even if you don’t—you’ll know this is someone worth supporting.

Please consider donating, and sharing this campaign with friends, family, coworkers, or your favorite trail-running, horse-loving, mountain-crushing, dog-cuddling, Search and Rescuing, wildfire-surviving community.

Thank you so much.