“A tribe is a group of people connected to one another, connected to a leader, and connected to an idea. For millions of years, human beings have been connected to one tribe or another. A group needs only two things to be a tribe: a shared interest and a way to communicate.” ~ Seth Godin

When I started A Fresh Chapter, I vastly underestimated the many ways this work would change me. On the upside, it has fostered deep friendships, stretched me to grow in business and leadership, and invited me to step into new cultures around the world. But, it has also included an ongoing dance with uncertainty and the pain of many losses. Back in 2011, when I wrote a blog post about a big hairy audacious dream to create a non profit, I was blissfully naive. I didn’t think about building a strategy (or a community) to process the stories of deep suffering or how I would deal with the death of so many friends. As the organization grew, I subconsciously relied on my old tricks. I worked and worked and worked some more (my therapist would call this over-functioning). Rather than feeling the sadness, I would say yes to more programs, fill my days with phone calls, and focus only on the positives

By mid-2016, I was depleted and found myself sliding between feeling brittle to outraged over inconsequential things. I knew I needed to find a different way forward.

I saw how our Odyssey programs create a sense of deep community and connection for participants. I wanted AFC to create that same sense of community for advocates and leaders. A safe space for us to let down our guard, share our challenges, get curious about our emotions, and build lasting connections for future collaboration. In 2017, we piloted our first ReFresh Experience and this month, thanks to the support of our partners at Celgene, Genentech, Pfizer, and Takeda, we hosted our second group of advocates and leaders for an immersive 5-day reflection and connection experience. [Note: if you’re interested in joining us in 2019, scroll down to learn more about how you can apply now for your chance to join us.] 

From Sunday – Thursday, we experienced both the bustle of San Francisco and the calm of the Ralston White Retreat Center – set deep in the redwoods in Mill Valley. Our participants gained access to a diverse set of tools, resources, and activites including, but not limited to:

• A perspective-shifting volunteer experience serving a meal at GLIDE SF
• An introduction to Brene Brown’s work on vulnerability via co-facilitator and Daring Way Certified Coach, Janet Ottersberg
• Curated insights and leadership perspectives on collaboration via resources like the Culture Code, Blue Ocean Shift, and Rising Strong
• An introduction to the practice of incorporating rituals to honor those we have lost and ground ourselves during periods of stress
• The ability to cultivate curiosity in all interactions (including getting curious about the stories we tell ourselves)
• The spectrum between pity and compassion and how to truly hold space for others
• A new approach to navigating uncertainty and cultivating an openness to new opportunities
• An introduction to our Odyssey activities designed to foster deep reflection, to let go of what no longer serves us, and to set meaningful intentions for the future.

Throughout our time together, we saw lasting connections spark and laid the foundation for a new network for all AFC alumni to benefit from – both personally and professionally. Stay tuned for more on this as well as our 2018 Impact Report and stories from our participants. There is so much more we look forward to sharing with you!

And…mark your calendars: Our next ReFresh Experience for Cancer Advocates and Leaders will be offered in San Francisco from April 21-25, 2019. Applications for early admissions are now open!

If you are an advocate or leader hoping to join us, please apply here: 2019 AFC ReFresh Experience Application. There will be an interview and selection process to confirm fit for the program as well as diversity of participants from across the tumor spectrum, but special consideration will be given to applicants who apply before September 30, 2018.

To all of the advocates in our community – thank you for the work you do and we hope to have an opportunity to welcome you officially to our tribe!