At 35 years old, world-cup bobsledder Ben Fogel was gearing up for what he believed would be the biggest challenge of his life—a second shot at the Olympics. He had more years now and knew he'd have to give it his all, but he’d proven himself before and was no stranger to pushing beyond his limits.
Training rigorously for qualifiers, Ben began to notice something was off. “I was actually training really hard and I wasn't recovering quite like I expected myself to be, [although] I was in pretty good shape,” Ben explains.
He didn’t chalk it up too much, however, and continued checking off all the boxes, including a sport’s physical.
But what was supposed to be a routine checkup revealed elevated liver enzymes and required a biopsy.
A week later, the doctor called.
“Are sitting down?” the doctor asked. “You have a rare form of leukemia called large granular lymphocytic leukemia (LGL),” he regretfully told him.
Chances of survival were 50/50.
In an instant, Ben's dreams flashed before his eyes, but they weren’t about the olympics. He couldn’t stop thinking of his kids—how their lives would look without him.
“[Pre-cancer] I thought I had all the time in the world… I had two boys that were three and two, and I'm like, they're really young. They're not going to remember these moments that I'm at work for 12, 14, or 16 hours a day. I want to put in the time now so I can spend time with them when they're five, six, seven, eight and they have more memories of these times.”
But the diagnosis sparked a profound shift. He realized, “Wow, these moments are really precious."
Suddenly, he was training for the greatest race of his life, but this time it was for the team that mattered most: his wife and two boys.
Fortunately, Ben's youth and career in fitness and athleticism gave him a leg up, but there were still lifestyle changes to make, including hitting pause on his athletic pursuits and stepping back from work.
He’d stop having “cheat meals” or the occasional beer and create efficient systems that relied more on his team at Epic Fitness—the gym he’d opened a couple of years prior.
And after a two-year uphill battle, with the care of the Huntsman Cancer Institute, his family, and the community who supported him, Ben achieved remission.
But truly, he achieved much more than this. He won the gold medal of a new life.
Gratitude and presence became the cornerstone of his existence, and he developed an intentional strategy to spend his time and energy more meaningfully.
To this day, the athlete presents his dilemmas to an older and wiser version of himself.
“[I ask], ‘What would he say?’ I play that script in my mind and actually talk to my 80-year old self.”
That 80-year old self has never failed him. He continues to lend him wisdom that looks like prioritizing memories with his family over work, letting the small stuff take care of itself, and making an impact in the community.
All of which, he’s taken to heart. He joined forces with the Leukemia Lymphoma Society, calling newly diagnosed patients to tell them what they could expect, but more importantly, that “it's going to be okay”—comfort only a survivor could provide.
His commitment also included a competition where he, his wife Amy, and other community members helped raise over $125,000 for the cause.
Ben’s purpose and impact extends far beyond, however—even today (seven years post-cancer).
At Epic Fitness, he cultivates a vibrant community where everyone, including cancer survivors, find friendship, support, and a path to holistic well-being.
His mantra for optimal health? "Strength training is the cheat code to athletics, bone health, longevity—it's the anti-aging code." And encourages everyone to “start where they are.”
Dedicated to strengthening “intentional community,” and in light of Amy’s recent breast cancer diagnosis, Epic Fitness’ latest outside event was to raise money for breast and cervical cancer screenings.
Grateful that Amy got screened early and caught the cancer fast, they recognized not everyone has that kind of access to healthcare and wanted to help.
As for the survivor’s advice for those diagnosed with cancer?
“No matter what the doctor says,” Ben insists, “don't let a diagnosis wreck you mentally”... “Control your mindset, control your health inputs. Become your own hero."
It turns out, life's greatest prizes aren't athletic medals but the intentional moments shared with those you love.
Our most precious commodity is time—and how we choose to spend it defines our legacy.
If you're seeking a supportive, intentional community led by a true hero, visit Ben and his team at Epic Fitness in Millcreek. You'll find far more than a five-star gym.
Located at 3065 South Imperial Street, Salt Lake City, UT 84106
Our team of fitness and nutrition professionals are invested in your health. We make every decision with our members’ well-being in mind. Achieve your goals with us!
For over 15 years Ben has been coaching people of all types and backgrounds. As a former World Cup and World Championship athlete himself, he’s learned from some of the best in the world how to be a great coach and mentor. Ben graduated with honors in Exercise Science from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. Ben spends a great deal of his time learning, growing, and increasing his knowledge in order to benefit his clients and the Epic Fitness team. He loves seeing all of the Epic members achieve their goals! As important as anything, he lives by the concept of getting 1% better every day. It is his goal for you to get 1% better each time you step into Epic Fitness, and that is when magical things will happen!
“[Pre-cancer] I thought I had all the time in the world… I had two boys three and two, and I'm like, they're really young."