When leiomyosarcoma survivor Gail Walsh told her orthopedic oncologist Patrick Lin, M.D., that she planned to hike the Appalachian Trail, his response was, “Which part?”

“I plan on doing the whole thing,” she told him.

The Florida massage therapist came close – just 600 miles shy of the 2,190-mile trail that stretches from Georgia to Maine. She started the journey in April, but after two weeks of hiking with a back injury...