Home > Adventure

Stripped Away: How Cancer Led This Climber to Embrace a New Sport

Support us! GearJunkie may earn a small commission from affiliate links in this article. Learn More

This short film is full of great storytelling: It’s pensive, deep, and immersive. But it’s part of a much greater story.

Ben Moon is a climber, photographer, filmmaker, and author. He is also a cancer survivor. In this short film, we get a glimpse into Moon’s life story from the moment he got his diagnosis to the moment he discovered a new passion.

“Life was pretty simple. But suddenly all that was stripped away,” said Moon in the intro to the film.

Moon went from van-lifing and nonstop climbing to slowing down in life, showing up for chemo treatments, shifting his perspective. He dove into portrait photography. He started surfing. In a circuitous way, getting cancer led him to find a new perspective and way of living life.

“Immersing myself in something greater than me somehow made it all feel magical,” he says in the film.

No matter where you are, what your focus is, and where you think you’ll be, know that all that can change. And that’s OK. There’s a lot out there in life, and Moon’s story is the perfect example.

For the full story, read Moon’s recently published autobiography, “Denali: A Man, a Dog, and the Friendship of a Lifetime.”

“The Lucky Ones” was directed by Jeff Johnson and produced by Los York Productions with the help of Rivian.

single rider in victory lap film of Leadville 100 MTB race

Leadville 100 MTB: What It Takes to Ride the Legendary Race

The film 'Victory Lap' follows two amateur riders' journeys up to and through one of the most epic and grueling bike races in the country — the Leadville 100 MTB Race. Read more…

Subscribe Now

Get adventure news and gear reviews in your inbox!

Join Our GearJunkie Newsletter

Get adventure news and gear reviews in your inbox!