9News: Arvada mayor opens up about breast cancer diagnosis, recovery

9News | Kim Christiansen | September 1, 2026

ARVADA, Colo. — Leading Colorado's seventh-largest city as mayor and running a cat rescue nonprofit, Lauren Simpson spends her days moving between two very different jobs – this year, she added an unexpected third role — cancer survivor — after a routine checkup revealed tumors in her breast in January.

Simpson, who grew up in rural Texas in a town of 14,000 people and 100,000 cows, was elected mayor of Arvada in 2023 in a tight race, winning by just 454 votes out of 45,000 cast — about 1 percentage point. The victory surprised even her, since she had originally planned a career in international relations.

"I fell in love with being able to help people directly," Simpson said, instead of "being a tiny cog in a big machine."

When she's not at city hall, Simpson serves as executive director of Feline Fix, an organization that spays and neuters cats and rescues strays. About half of the animals the group cares for are pets, while the other half are strays or feral cats, many of the kittens found on the streets.

Simpson said the two jobs balance each other out. "I often joke that this job has been really good for my mental health," she said. "Kittens are a great break from politics."

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