Be a Trailblazer becomes 'a lifesaver' for woman during health challenges

Linda and Rich Pedersen have long enjoyed spending time outside, so it was no surprise to them after joining the Forest Preserve District's Be a Trailblazer experience that it quickly became one of their favorite activities. But what they couldn't have known when they joined was that it would quickly become "a lifesaver." 

The Pedersens, of West Chicago, joined Be a Trailblazer last spring as a new and different way to spend time outdoors. Soon after they started, however, Linda began to experience medical issues and was eventually diagnosed with endometrial and kidney cancer. Rather than put Be a Trailblazer on the back burner, she embraced it as a distraction.

"You win by forgetting your troubles for awhile," she said of how Be a Trailblazer helped her take her mind off her health struggles. "You focus on the surroundings. You escape a little bit. For that moment, you can forget."

Be a Trailblazer is a digital scavenger hunt on the Goosechase app that sends participants out into Will County forest preserves to complete missions like photo challenges and GPS check-ins, earning points along the way. For the Pedersens, those missions provided an escape from thinking about Linda's health and what lied ahead. 

"We like being outside anyway, but during that it was sort of like an escape from reality," she said.

After her diagnosis, she had surgery in October and continued with her Be a Trailblazer adventure as she recovered. 

"I couldn't bend, but I could walk," she said, adding that it made completing the missions feel more important. "Being outdoors gave me fresh air and something I could handle doing."

Seven weeks after her first surgery, she had a second, more difficult operation to remove a kidney, but she was eager to continue with Be a Trailblazer. 

"Once I was able to get out, Goosechase really helped me recover," she said. "Being outdoors and really paying attention to your surroundings gave me a calm and germ-free environment to walk around. It has given me something to look forward to."

She remembers a Trailblazer excursion at Prairie Bluff Preserve before her first surgery that felt like a good omen. While there, she and Rich saw two praying mantises on their walk. She was delighted to see not just one but two of the insects, which often blend into their environment and are hard to see.

"I looked them up on my phone to see if they meant anything. They are associated with good luck, peace and divine protection," she said. "I felt then I could handle my surgeries. If I wasn't doing (Be a Trailblazer), I would not have experienced this calm."

Today, Linda has been given a clean bill of health, and Be a Trailblazer remains one of their favorite pastimes. The couple, who have been married 52 years, enjoys walks together, frequently visiting zoos and botanical gardens. They said they appreciate that Be a Trailblazer has given them new places to explore while doing what they love. 

The two usually do their missions together, but sometimes one of their two daughters will tag along as well. Being from West Chicago, the distance to get to some of the preserves doesn't bother them. Rich said he enjoys driving, so that's part of the appeal as well. He also appreciates that the experience helps keep them grounded. 

"That's what all this is really about," he said. "It helps us both. It pulls us back down to Earth and just makes us feel calmer."

Join Be a Trailblazer

This year's spring session of Be a Trailblazer is underway, but it's not too late to join. The spring session will continue though Saturday, May 30. The summer session will run from June 10 to Sept. 12, and fall will follow from Sept. 23 to Dec. 12. To join the experience, download the free Goosechase app to your smartphone and search for 2026 Be a Trailblazer or enter the code JYBKK4.

Each seasonal session of Be a Trailblazer includes dozens of missions that send participants out into Will County forest preserves. Participants gain points for completing challenges and can earn collectible pins and a chance to win prizes totaling more than $15,000.

Prizes include outdoor gear such as kayaks, Fitbits and Yeti coolers; T-shirts and hats; and gift cards from more than 30 local businesses. Additional funding support for the initiative has been generously provided by The Nature Foundation of Will County.