This segment is a Veteran-Focused talk show that showcases individuals and companies in the community and is focused on Veteran leadership, service, stories and transition. Our Veteran host highlights other Veterans who serve, have served and who are doing great things in their business and in their community. Today our host Morgan Allen spoke with Ashton and Casey Kroner of Veterans Cancer Network.
Ashton and Casey Kroner
Co-Founders at Veteran Cancer Network
Website Address: www.veterancancernetwork.org
Short company description:
Veteran Cancer Network (VCN) is a veteran-led nonprofit driving reform in cancer screening policy for those exposed to toxic risks during service. Through federal advocacy, public awareness campaigns, and community partnerships, we push for earlier detection and better outcomes for veterans.
What’s one thing we should know that makes your company unique?
We’re not trying to replace what already exists. Veteran Cancer Network is focused on navigation and connection. Bringing trusted organizations, clinicians, and veteran voices together so people aren’t left trying to figure everything out on their own.
How do you define success?
Success is knowing that a veteran or caregiver felt less alone, better informed, or more confident navigating their health because our network existed. If fewer people get lost in the system, that’s success to me.
How did you get started in your field of work?
I got started through lived experience, navigating misdiagnosis, VA care challenges, and the emotional toll cancer takes on both veterans and families. That experience made it impossible to walk away. Veteran Cancer Network and our flagship campaign, Pedal for Impact, grew from the belief that awareness, early detection, and collaboration can genuinely change outcomes.
What was the most impactful moment of your transition out of the military?
The most impactful moment was realizing that the structure, purpose, and built-in support I had in the military didn’t automatically exist on the outside. I was prepared to work hard. I just wasn’t prepared for how much of the responsibility to figure everything out would suddenly fall on me.
Transcript:
Speaker 1
Welcome back to another episode of On a Mission, where we highlight those who are making an impact. I’m Morgan Allen, joined today by Ashton and Casey Kroner with the Veteran Cancer Network. Thank you guys both for being here.
Speaker 2
Thank you for having us.
Speaker 1
So you guys have made some big moves in the last few months, even based on a really impactful life change in your life. I want to hear about the Veteran Cancer Network. But first, can you give me a little bit of your story, Casey?
Speaker 2
Yeah. I served in the Marine Corps. And years later, after I exit of course, I was diagnosed with testicular cancer. Late stage, which is stage three, for testicular cancer. I was diagnosed the day before my birthday, in November of 2021. And basically went through the whole process. And it was a big struggle. And that’s what kind of led to this journey. It’s basically four years in the making from the idea, and then now we’re implementing the process.
Speaker 1
What were the biggest aspects of that struggle that you wish that you had help with?
Speaker 2
Yeah. So one of the biggest ones, that you don’t really think about when you’re going through any kind of cancer treatment is the, the mindset of a cancer patient, the, struggles with mental health because all day long, almost 8 to 10 hours, depending on what treatment plan you’re on, you’re just sitting there with your thoughts in a cold, quiet room full of other people doing the same thing. So mental health was probably the biggest struggle during that time. Besides normal fatigue and everything from the actual chemo treatment.
Speaker 1
I can imagine because going from peak shape in the Marines to, you know, on that uncomfortable position in that uncomfortable room and not really knowing what the future holds, that’s got to be extremely challenging.
Speaker 1
So you guys, over the years you’ve been battling this, going through this almost to the other side completely. Very exciting.
Speaker 2
In November we’ve got our last appointment. Just about.
Speaker 1
Yeah, that’s very exciting. Congratulations.
Speaker 2
Thank you.
Speaker 1
And so what have you guys done now with the Veteran Cancer Network to help other people get the screening ahead of time?
Speaker 3
Yeah, I list that was one of the challenges that we had. Most cancers don’t have any type of screening protocols until about 45. And that’s colon cancer for guys who also had prostate. And then for women, it’s breast cancer. But that’s not until later, you know, later in life. And we really, you know, we recognize through Casey’s own endeavors, he was unfortunately, he was misdiagnosed. And a lot of it had to do with those age based restrictions. You know, they were saying that he was too young for cancer or too young for these tests, when in fact, that’s not the case. You know, with the veteran population, especially the post 911 generation, we’re seeing cancers show up younger and younger and not just in veterans, but, you know, in society in general. You see it all across the news about, you know, these famous, actors and actresses getting cancers in their 30s and 40s. So we’re we’re recognizing that there is an issue there. And what we’re doing is we are doing some advocating and educating, especially on the Hill, to make awareness on, on this issue. We’re hoping to be able to have a bill passed to reduce the action, not even reduce or eliminate the age restrictions right now on, on cancer screening. So we’re working on that.
Speaker 1
And is that just for veterans or for everybody?
Speaker 3
Ideally it’s going to get passed, you know, for everybody. But we’re focusing on the on the veteran population. When it comes to the VA health care system, a lot of, protocols that get put into place actually start within our armed forces, within the active duty, within the veteran population, and then it gets disseminated, you know, to the, you know, the rest of the population.
Speaker 1
Okay. Gotcha. And so there’s a lot of things in the military that can produce cancer. We’re talking a little off set. But dive into some of those aspects of what fuel the food. Tell me a little bit from your experience.
Speaker 2
Yeah. One of the biggest ones that most people will gravitate to because it’s been in the news is burn pit exposure. That one is that one of the leading cause, especially people over 80 that deployed overseas. But that’s, kind of masking the stuff that happens at home to on bases. You have the chemicals in water. Back in the day, that was a very big one, that they’re still seeing some, bad stuff coming out of it years later, many years later, decades later, and burns or. Sorry, fire. You got barracks. That’s not up to code back. You know, a handful of years ago, just many other stuff that you really don’t think of. During that time frame.
Speaker 1
Yeah, I can imagine, the food I, we were talking a little bit about, like, what you’re putting in your body, really affects it. And those things can cause cancer. So, I mean, it’s so great that you guys are now on the front lines of this, and seeing it spread like wildfire. So speaking of that, let’s talk a little bit about this. This bike race. Bike race, bike ride. Bike ride. It’s not a race. No ride. No. It’s slow and easy. Makes the estimate, makes it to. Here you go. So tell me about it in June.
Speaker 3
Yeah. So June 13th, we’re actually going to be on barking on a, over a thousand mile ride from Green Cove Springs, Florida to Washington, DC. It’s going to take us, quite, quite some time to be able to get there. It’s over a thousand miles. And we have stops obviously, along the, along the way so we can meet with, you know, those in the, in the, in the local population, you know, policy leaders, you know, we’re looking at the VFW, the American Legion’s hospitals in that for us just to make awareness on, on this issue, with the goal when we get to DC, we’re actually, partnering up with an organization to be able to offer, free multi cancer early detection blood screenings, which is one of the big things we’re advocating for is to get implemented within the VA. It’s a standard blood test that screens for over 50 different cancers. And it can, you know, screen for as earliest each one. And that’s something that we are really, really excited about whenever it comes to these emerging technologies.
Speaker 1
That is so exciting and amazing overall. Now with that, this ride, anyone can join.
Speaker 3
They can. Yes. They can go to our website on Veteran Cancer network.org. Reach out to us. You know, we have people along the route, we’re doing anywhere from 75 to 100 miles a day, in order to be able to get to DC, by June 29th, which is when we’re looking at doing the cancer screening and then obviously meeting with, congressional leaders and their staffers. But they can join us, you know, all along there at you don’t have to join for the entirety. It is going to be long. It’s going to be hot and humid. But, it’s going to be worthwhile.
Speaker 1
That’s incredible. So with the network itself, you guys have a peer support group, right, for veterans, who are going through this time. Tell me a little bit more about that.
Speaker 2
Oh, yeah. So we we weren’t going to originally start it just yet, but we had so many people reach out to us being like, hey, we need something here. Do you offer it? And so we decided to go ahead and pull the trigger and get a support group, start it. We have it’s very small right now, but it’s definitely growing a lot of interest in it because like I said earlier, mental health is the main one, and you can’t relate. To other organizations that substance abuse, you know, recovery with whatever, you know, other stuff. So a veteran going through cancer has went through cancer. They want to connect with someone else. They can relate to that that need.
Speaker 1
Yeah, absolutely. So that is amazing. What am I missing. You have partners now. Lots of partners.
Speaker 3
We do. We’re always looking for more as well. Okay. You know, so we’re you know, originally we’re actually going to be self-funding this entire bike ride, but we’ve had people reaching out saying that they want to support us. And so, you know, we’re offering up sponsorship opportunities, you know, for that. But then we also are, you know, working with organizations that are either helping in the cancer field or that, you know, somewhere in the health care field, whether it’s behavioral health, physical health, whatnot, and then also nonprofits. Just to be able to help support the entire veteran family, because it’s not just the individual that is going through cancer that it impacts. And in fact, the the caregivers. And so we want to be able to offer resources for them, you know, and we’re bringing them all under our network, you know, so they can start talking and having those conversations. Because it’s not just one person’s fight. It’s an entire society to be able to help, you know, that that person going through cancer.
Speaker 1
And you can find all this information on the VeteranCancerNetwork.org and on all of our socials as well. You can just put in Veteran Cancer Network and you’ll see our everything from our podcast. So you can share your story, whether you’re a caregiver, a resource, or a, you know, a veteran themselves going through cancer. But we want to be able to normalize that conversation. And we do that through our podcast, our social media, and then obviously our website.
Speaker 1
Well, thank you guys so much for sharing your story and for the great work that you guys are doing. This is an incredible big, massive mission, and I’m honored to be able to tell the story of it. So thank you both.
Speaker 2
Thank you guys. Thank you.
Speaker 1
Yes. And viewers, thank you for tuning in to another episode. If you want more information, you can head on over to Daily News network.com. We have it right there. We’ll see you in the next episode of on a mission.
The Daily News Network, Buzz Tv News, and DAILYBIZBRIEF highlight business professionals, nonprofits, veterans and community leaders on over 40 TV Segments including The Horse’s Mouth, Legacy of Leaders TV, Veterans Buzz TV, Finding Your Frequency, and Buzzworthy Businesses.
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