Typically, A Fresh Chapter (AFC) International Odyssey programs run over a 2-week time frame and the North American Odyssey programs span over a 1-week period. In addition to the volunteer travel experience the overall programs are a part of a broader 20+ week program that includes significant pre- and post-volunteering support, tools, and resources.

Since the concept of AFC was first conceived in Cape Town in 2011, we have been building our relationships with the right people to take excellent care of us from start to finish – from accommodations to meals, transportation, and rich cultural learning experience. For most of our International Odyssey programs, we partner with Cross-Cultural Solutions (CCS), an organization with more than 20 years of experience in international volunteering space. We love partnering with them because they take care of every single detail to ensure you are safe and well cared for during your time in country. CCS will pick you up at the airport, take care of food and accommodations, help arrange volunteer experiences with local organizations, and plan cultural activities. For some of our other International and U.S. based Odyssey programs, we work closely with excellent local partners to help manage both the volunteering and cultural activities.

Depending on the Odyssey program, your accommodations may vary. When we partner with CCS, accommodations are at their home base or a CCS partner guest house/retreat center in that specific city/country. When we partner directly with local organizations for international or U.S. based programs, we source hotels or retreat centers in safe neighborhoods and with access to all the amenities we will need. Regardless of the program, you can expect to have 1-3 roommates in a room (typically with a shared en-suite bathroom) with separate beds. Most, but not all, of our meals are consumed at home base, depending on the daily program schedule.

We work with CCS and our other partners to prepare and serve delicious home-cooked meals at the home base accommodations. This will include a mix of mostly traditional food from the destination country, with some western meals. Food allergies can be accommodated with advance notice (vegetarian, gluten-free, dairy free, etc.).

The schedule for AFC programs is busy! All programs include morning volunteering followed by afternoon and evening activities and a once-in-a-lifetime experience. In general, volunteering takes place Monday – Friday from 8am – 1pm and the afternoons and evenings are a mix of cultural and AFC activities. While there will be some pockets of free time for rest and reflection, we recommend you arrive early or stay later after the program if you want more time to explore that city/country.

Although we continue to work with many of the existing volunteer placements from our previous programs, we are always constantly building partnerships with organizations that have similar values and that resonate with our mission. Based on your skills and interests, we will work with our partners to match you with a local community project and you will spend two weeks giving your time and energy to people in the developing world.  You will be placed with at least one other A Fresh Chapter volunteer and be given guidelines and support – as well as encouragement to use your own initiative – to make the most of the experience.

Volunteering opportunities range from working with children, supporting families impacted by cancer at a home that provides lodging and meals; working with mentally or physically challenged people at Mother Teresa’s Home For the Dying & The Destitute; assisting at a neighborhood daycare by teaching and/or helping improve their facility; and working at a center for senior citizens by serving meals, interacting with the seniors, cleaning, and accompanying staff on home visits. Regardless of the destination, while serving internationally, you will not only act as a volunteer, but also as a Cancer Ambassador in communities where cancer is often veiled in shame, secrecy, and stigma.

All selected participants will have the opportunity to speak with A Fresh Chapter alumni (Program Mentor) about their volunteering experiences. This will be a great opportunity to hear more about the types of volunteering activities, the growth that can be experienced during volunteering, and the unique cross-cultural bonds that ensue.

Whether it’s watching the sunrise over the Taj Mahal, climbing the steps to view the ruins of Machu Picchu, zip-lining past a volcano in the Costa Rican rainforest or standing at the Cape of Good Hope on the most southwesterly tip of the African continent, the feeling of awe evoked by a once-in-a-lifetime experience has the power to act as a re-set in your life. For many participants, this may be the first time in a long time that you feel “lucky”. Sharing this experience with other people impacted by cancer fosters a strong feeling of gratitude and a lasting connection to your new tribe. For most of our once-in-a-lifetime weekend trips, A Fresh Chapter partners with Canadian travel adventure company, G Adventures.

Most A Fresh Chapter programs are open to cancer patients/survivors and caregivers of all ages and walks of life. We believe that what unites us is that we’ve all been impacted by the adversity of cancer and we need to find a way to move forward in our lives. A Fresh Chapter believes that struggle is universal and that’s why the program is not cancer-specific and why it includes both patients/survivors and caregivers.

Our activities are designed to address the deeper emotional scars of cancer – the emotions around the shared struggles of cancer. Our program does not require you to share your specific story of cancer (e.g. on May 5, 2000, I was diagnosed with stage four breast cancer, etc.). Instead, through volunteering, travel and a variety of activities – such as journaling prompts, individual and group exercises, and opportunities to share pieces of your story – our program will help you to uncover the emotional scars of cancer, start to process and deal with them, and begin to guide you toward a new chapter in your life. While our programs do not follow the typical support model, there are some elements that may be familiar to those who have attended support groups.

We have designed our programs to be accessible at all stages of the cancer journey. However, our once-in-a-lifetime experiences involve traveling (via vans, buses, planes etc…) for several hours and at some destinations, we are in areas where we have less access to medical facilities and temporary altitude sickness is common. For our Peru program in particular, you must have no known issues with altitude, as well as be comfortable being away from a major-medical center for at least four days.

In addition, you will need to be able to spend four plus hours per day volunteering and doing an assortment of activities. All participants will need a medical clearance from their doctors prior to participating in the program.

We continue to explore ways to offset the costs for our participants and offer scholarships and subsidies to help make it possible for more people to experience A Fresh Chapter. Currently, the Program Fee for our International Odyssey Programs is $4,964.00 USD (plus flights) – though the true cost of the program is higher. Participants have the option to pay or to fundraise the program fee and additional costs and can also apply for financial support/a scholarship through the Melissa Carroll Legacy Fund.

The Program Fee includes the full 20+ week program, including our Discover, Integrate and Ignite Series curriculum, your two-week international volunteer Experience (including all accommodation, most meals, volunteering, cultural activities, and in-country transportation) as well as the Once-In-A-Lifetime experience (including transportation, accommodation and meals – when applicable). Additional, non-included costs include R/T airfare to the program destination (from your closest airport) and spending money for optional activities, snacks and shopping.

If reading the above paragraph and thinking about fundraising makes you feel nervous – you are not alone. Many of our most successful fundraisers and scholarship recipients had big questions about how or if they could reach their fundraising goals and/or how to qualify for a scholarship or subsidy. Thanks to their input and success stories, we have developed extensive resources and support to help each of our applicants feel empowered to play an active role in making their fresh chapter a reality. Through the interview process with our Selection Team and our CEO, as well as the ability to connect with alumni through our closed Facebook group, you will learn more about all of the options involved to help you begin your fresh chapter.

Please note: If you have prior experience with fundraising or have the capacity/network to raise more than the Program Fee, any additional funds you raise will be an opportunity for you to pay it forward and assist another person in starting his/her fresh chapter.

Our International Odyssey programs are typically open to women and men who have been impacted by some type of cancer as a patient/survivor or caregiver. The programs range from 12-20 participants. For specific programs where we are collaborating with an industry partner, we may use discretion and select only patient/survivors, in order to provide the best experience for all involved from both groups.

Program participants typically range in age from mid-20s through late-60s. We’ve found this diversity creates a more enriched experience for everyone.

Because of the nature of the program and all of the experiences we want to offer, there is limited free time. However, we have built in time for reflection and rest as well as the option during a couple of afternoons/evenings where you can head out shopping/sightseeing and stay out to have a meal on your own or with a smaller group (at your own cost).

Depending on the program location and where the participant is flying from, round trip airfare can cost anywhere between $600 to $1500. Many previous participants have received donated airline miles to help offset flight costs. An additional $75-$250 per week is suggested, for things like optional activities, snacks or meals out, shopping, etc. These costs vary depending upon the participant (and often, how much shopping they want to do!)

All A Fresh Chapter activities are required, as is volunteering. There are some cultural activities that can be optional but are recommended in order to have the full experience of the program. Accommodations can be made for those who need more time to rest, such as individuals in active treatment or those suffering from post-treatment fatigue.

Yes! Whether we partner with Cross-Cultural Solutions and offer you comprehensive medical insurance through their carrier, or we help you obtain medical coverage for non CCS programs (and allocate $125 of your program fee towards this cost), we want to make sure you are covered. If medical services are required, a representative from A Fresh Chapter, as well as someone from our in-country partner organization will accompany you to see an English-speaking doctor and/or provide translation if required.

All selected participants will receive more specific information and details about coverage as it pertains to each destination.

A Fresh Chapter has a multi-stage application/interview process, which we’ve explained below:

• Apply online prior to the application deadline.
• Review the FAQs and confirm your interest in moving forward
• An invitation to join a closed Facebook Group with alumni and other applicants.
• 1^st Interview: An opportunity to speak with one of our alumni for your first 30-minute phone or Skype conversation. This will give you the opportunity to hear more about their experience and for them to get to know you better in terms of what you hope to gain from the program and why you want to volunteer internationally.
• Setting The Stage For Your Fresh Chapter Activity: An opportunity to explore how you might share your story in a way that rallies your community of friends and family around you. We want you to feel supported by both our A Fresh Chapter tribe and your network at home as you take the next step to exploring one of our Odyssey Programs.
• 2^nd Interview: An opportunity to speak with CEO and Founder, Terri Wingham, to ask questions, hear more about the program, and better understand the overall experience and explore whether our program is right for you.
• Fundraising Plan and/or Scholarship Application: This will be an opportunity for you to put together your ideas around fundraising and/or apply for a scholarship – with the help of our dedicated team of alumni who want to help you make your fresh chapter experience a reality.

Once you have submitted the required documents – i.e. fundraising proposal and/or scholarship application and you have spoken to one of our alumni, as well as Terri and/or the MCLF scholarship committee, our team will convene to make our selections for upcoming programs.

Further details of critical dates, will be provided during the interview process. Even if you are not selected for one of our upcoming programs due to a limited number of spots, we welcome the opportunity to keep in touch and are grateful to have you in our A Fresh Chapter tribe.