A Fresh Chapter

Peru Odyssey

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 community 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.
A Fresh Chapter

This program may be affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Please click below for the latest update.

COVID-19

Peru Odyssey

The colonial city of Lima, Peru, located on cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean, serves as your urban home for the two-week Peru Odyssey Program. Your mornings will be spent volunteering with community-based projects or supporting locals impacted by cancer. Your afternoons will include cultural events, activities and group sessions designed to explore the emotional impact of cancer and envision how you want to reimagine the next chapter of your life.

In addition to the volunteer placements, everyone will have the chance to meet with one of our local oncology partners for a story session that weaves together the challenges of facing cancer – no matter where you live. Then, on the weekend, we will travel to the Sacred Valley for a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Machu Picchu, the ancient Inca citadel high in the Andes Mountains! As with all A Fresh Chapter Programs, you will receive the support of our dedicated A Fresh Chapter team before, during, and after our onsite experience.

Partnership with Eli Lilly and Company

The Peru Odyssey program is a partnership between A Fresh Chapter and Lilly’s Connecting Hearts Abroad Program. Half of the program’s participants are Lilly employees who have experienced cancer first-hand and half are selected from the broader A Fresh Chapter community. This program was first launched in October 2016 and we are excited to return to Peru for the fifth year. A Fresh Chapter is proud of our partnership with Lilly as the company’s focus on uniting caring with discovery to make life better for people around the world aligns perfectly with our work. Together, we are transforming the adversity of cancer into an opportunity for renewed purpose, fresh connection, and meaningful possibility.

Your time in Peru 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.

 For four years I wondered, looking for an answer as to why I have cancer. I thought I needed a reason. Really what I needed was a community. A group of people who understood. I found them in Peru. Before Peru I was angry, sad and completely lost. Being with a group of people who understood brought me back from a very dark place. Peru and A Fresh Chapter helped a damaged mother, wife and woman find her joy again, and in turn, saved a family. — Hannah, 2016 Peru Odyssey Circle
The next Peru Odyssey program is postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sign up for our mailing list to get the latest updates on our programs, including when applications will open again.  In the meantime, we also offer several virtual programs – the Ignite Experience, and Empower workshops.

CLICK HERE TO STAY INFORMED

PERU ODYSSEY PHOTO GALLERY

READ POSTS FROM PERU PROGRAM

Taking The Leap – Tanessa’s Peru Odyssey Read More
The Peru Odyssey: A First Glimpse (Video) Read More
Gaby’s Fresh Chapter – A Different Kind Of Me Read More
Get A Fresh Chapter Updates