Jan Adrian, Founder and Executive Director of Healing Journeys, passed away peacefully at home on the afternoon of Thursday, October 30, 2025.
She is survived by her person, Kerry Freeman, and her son, Brian Conn, AND by all of us who were changed by who she was herself, and by what she co-created: Healing Journeys – Cancer as a Turning Point, From Surviving to Thriving.
A memorial service will be held in Sacramento at a future date. The service will also be live-streamed, so all may attend. Details will be sent to everyone on our email list.
So sad to hear this news – and what a beacon of hope and love and support for so many people walking this path. I am so grateful that she allowed me to be a part of these amazing conferences doing my music and felt such love and support from her always. Kerry – I send you love and know that you were such a support to her. I just hope she knows what a blessing and what a difference she made in the lives of so many. What more can you ask for than that? Sending love and support to Kerry and her family…..
So many of us are expressing our gratitude that Jan brought us to face our breast cancer devastation through her gift of Healing Journeys, while she experienced personal chapters of several cancers over many years.
I have to share a phrase: “We must relentlessly refuse to participate in our own demise.”*
Makes me think of Jan, able to find, experience, and encourage positives while living in this challenged earthly body.
84 years is a remarkable span of adventures, often not what she’d have chosen:
“Life is a series of beautiful moments interspersed by great trials.”*
Jan’s soul has blessed us.
*W.Lee Warren MD
Thank you Jan and the big extended family of generous people who made Healing Journeys possible… the musicians, actors, dancers, poets.. all the artists! The fund raisers and the fun raisers! And the many many people working behind the scenes to create the magic of the conferences.
But without Jan, none of that would have happened. So many of us would have missed the inspiration, the hope, and the joy that the conferences promoted.
Thank you Jan!
Jan was a healer in her own right. As she found ways to help her heal, she illuminated the pathway for thousands of us to discover our own healing journeys.
Her legacy will live on for years. I will miss you, Jan…
🙏🏼♥️🙏🏼
I went to the second Healing Journeys in ’95 in Sacramento and continued on with our support group at Stanford x2 and Lake Merrit. Having water nearby was a requirement even if a fountain. Just listening to Mariah Carey sing “Hero” to open the conference would bring me to tears and still does.
I hate to see you go Jan but you have paid your dues!
Ah…. Jan and I were (are) fellow thrivers. We were diagnosed with breast cancer about the same time. I went into remission. She traveled a path with the cancer and became an inspiration to the many traveling with her. Thrivers – not just survivors. A true blessing to the world. And blessings to you, Kerry, as you continue to carry and radiate the joy Jan shared freely and with great grace. Peace.
My heart goes out to Brian, Jan’s son, Kerry, her dear friend, Georgia, and to all of us who knew Jan. Her loss is great. Yet, the legacy she left is great.
Rest in the loving arms of God, dear Jan.
Love,
Meg
I am so deeply saddened by this news. Jan was an inspiration, guide, visionary to me and so many. I will hold her in my heart forever. I so loved performing at the Cancer as a Turning Point conferences, and learned so much from the other presenters. Her memory, truly, will be a blessing.
Please let me know the date of Jan’s service. She will be missed. Thank you.
Jan’s service will be in January. We will send an email with all the details soon, once everything is finalized. We will also post it on the Healing Journeys website.
I will miss Jan dearly. I loved the time we shared in our cancer group. Jan taught me how to both live after an “all clear” from colon cancer and how to make necessary adjustments in my life so as to thrive. Essentially I learned the lessons of cancer from Jan and the other women in our group.
The pandemic caused the disbanding of our group. It saddened me deeply.
Jan had a remarkable way of bringing a quiet & articulate presence to any gathering she attended or led. I’m grateful that she shared part of her life with me. Thank you, Jan.