Volunteer Programs in India for Cancer Survivors

India Odyssey Program

ONSITE ODYSSEY PROGRAM

Reclaim Your Story: Volunteer, Travel, and Connect

Cancer can strip you of your purpose and place in the world. But, through A Fresh Chapter’s innovative Odyssey Program, you will reclaim your independence, your strength, and your story—all while seeing yourself and the world through fresh eyes.

A Fresh Chapter creates opportunities for you to:

Volunteer with meaningful, community-based projects.
Connect with a tribe of like-minded people who have faced all types of cancer.
Challenge yourself to step beyond your comfort zone and practice finding peace amidst uncertainty.
Experience once-in-a-lifetime moments like a sunrise over the Taj Mahal or a visit to the ancient ruins of Machu Picchu.
Access tools, resources, and support—both online and in-person—to help you navigate the complexities of living with or beyond cancer.

Explore AFC’s innovative model and what to expect from an Onsite Odyssey Program, Program Fee/Fundraising, our FAQ, and more.

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INDIA odyssey program

New Delhi, India

The vibrant, colorful city of New Delhi, India will be your home-away-from-home during the two-week India Odyssey Program. Alongside our experienced partners, you’ll spend your mornings volunteering with a local community project and your afternoons experiencing the best of the culture. You’ll also be acting as a cancer ambassador in communities where the disease is often veiled in shame, secrecy, and stigma. You’ll meet people who can relate to what you’ve been through – all while having an adventure that reminds you what is still possible in your life.

On the weekend you’ll journey to nearby Agra where you’ll watch the sun rise and illuminate the magnificent Taj Mahal. From sipping fragrant chai with new friends each morning, to building connections within the community, to connecting with local cancer patients, you’ll come home with a renewed sense of purpose in your life.

Beauty Amidst the Chaos

India is a beautiful assault on the senses. One of the reasons we chose New Delhi as our first program site is because traveling to the other side of the world and immersing yourself in a completely different culture can truly help you step beyond your cancer experience. A Fresh Chapter has conducted four Odyssey Programs in India and has great relationships with our local support partners. In addition, we’ve developed a strong connection with the New Delhi-based cancer organization, CanSupport, allowing us to connect with local cancer patients and survivors as well as help spread the word about their inspiring programs. We continue to return to this amazing country thanks to the warmth of our hosts and the tangible impact we can make in communities with a greater need than almost anywhere else in the world.

Your time in India is only a part of the broader A Fresh Chapter Odyssey framework, which includes significant pre- and post-trip programming designed to help you explore and address the emotional scars of cancer and envision how you want to move forward to a life filled with renewed meaning, connection, and adventure. Through personalized support from our team – including on-the-ground support from our trained facilitators – and extensive online resources, our framework is designed to offer you a road map and an invitation to explore your life beyond cancer.

My volunteer placement in New Delhi was with autistic students. One nonverbal 7 year-old girl couldn’t concentrate and ran around the classroom humming. One day, I sat down with her work at the table and hummed. Eventually she came to stand next to me. She couldn’t make eye contact. But as long as we hummed together she focused on her work. This 30 minutes of humming shifted my whole perspective. Now that I’m home, the pressure of life still exists. I’m still defining my new chapter. But with the ability to appreciate the small moments, I’m no longer filled with anxiety. I’m able to easily move through the twists and turns of the road ahead. — Ashley, 2016 India Odyssey Tribe

The next planned India Odyssey Program is TBD.

If you are interested in applying for the next India Odyssey Program, subscribe to our newsletter and social media channels in order to watch for our future program announcements and have the chance to apply.

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