My name is Terri Wingham and two years ago, the words, “you have cancer” changed my life forever. Fighting cancer was physically draining and emotionally exhausting. But, I never expected how hard it would be to pick up the pieces of my pre-cancer life and move forward after treatment ended.

At a New Year’s Eve party last year, three weeks before my final surgery, well-meaning friends peppered me with questions like, “Are you excited for your last surgery?” and “So, when do you go back to work?”

I did my best to smile and keep my responses upbeat, but more than once, I had to use the glittery Happy 2011 napkin clenched in my fist to catch an escaped tear. I could tell that everyone else was excited for my cancer to be over, so they could finally move on with their lives. But, I hated that cancer would never be over for me. I would always face fears of reoccurrence; worries about how returning to a stressful job could increase my risk of developing a secondary cancer; and a sense of loss over my breasts, my potential fertility, and my carefree past. Friends and family wanted the pre-cancer Terri to come back, but I felt like that person no longer existed.

When I walked out of the hospital after my final surgery, no one offered me any support resources to get me through the difficult transition from patient to survivor. Left on my own to search for meaning and inspiration, I made the tough decision to leave my six-figure job and traveled to Africa to volunteer for 6 weeks with Cross Cultural Solutions. The opportunity to work with a beautiful group of 1-3 year olds in the Townships outside of Cape Town healed me from cancer in a way I hadn’t expected. For the first time since my diagnosis, I felt excited to be alive and optimistic about the possibilities for my future.

Now, with your support and the support of organizations like GO Overseas and CLOUD Inc, I have embarked on a volunteer trip around the world and am opening myself up to opportunities ranging from working with cancer patients in Vietnam, to volunteering at Mother Teresa’s Home for the Destitute & Disabled in New Delhi, to spending time with children at orphanages in Rwanda and Peru. These experiences will provide the framework for the future Fresh Chapter Foundation by introducing me to some of the safest, most ethical, and easiest to work with volunteer organizations in the industry. This insight means I can help fellow cancer warriors move through the often difficult transition from patient to survivor by helping to fund international volunteer trips for them.

So where am I today? Here’s my itinerary for this massive trip around the world. I can’t believe this all started as just a Big Hairy Audacious Dream less than four months ago:

• Jan 10 – Feb 10th – GeoVisions in Vietnam
• Feb 11 – March 3rd – CCS in New Delhi, India
• March 15 – March 29 – GVN in Rwanda
• April 1 – 15  - Zanzibar & Tanzania – self directed volunteer opportunities
• April 20 – 27 – Pueblos Ingles in Spain
• Apri 29 – May 12 – IVHQ in Cusco, Peru
• May 19 – May 31 – ProWorld in Urubamba, Peru
• June – Costa Rica – GVI in Quespos, Costa Rica

While I’m on the road, I also hope to connect with survivors in cities all over the world. If you are reading this from one of the stops on my trip, please Contact Me. I would love to arrange a time and place to meet.

In case this all seems like a great big game of let’s pretend (which I get it – sometimes it even feels that way to me), I have exciting news. SEVEN volunteer partners have officially committed to the project. Click here to read more about GeoVisions, CCS, GVN, IVHQ, ProWorld, GVI, & Pueblos Ingles.

Would you like to join me in this Adventure of Hope? I would love your support. The estimated funds needed for this volunteer trip around the world? $34,000. I am working hard to secure corporate sponsorships and in-kind donations with reputable Volunteer Partners to keep costs down, but, I estimate I’ll still need to raise at least $10,000 to make this a reality. To see a breakdown of the budget and to read exactly where your money will go, click here.

Yes, that figure ($18,000) makes my palms sweat and my mouth dry out. But in the almost two months since I left Canada, we have made it to 62% of our total fundraising goal.

I believe that we will raise the necessary funds because I believe this trip is about more than “just” international volunteering and more than “just” cancer survivorship; it’s about connection. It’s about moments like when I was there to bathe and care for a scared little boy in the Townships of Cape Town and he was there to remind me of how far I’d come since my double mastectomy. It’s about having the opportunity to share stories about these global connections with you. Stories about the resilience of the human spirit and about families who come from the most meagre of circumstances but still have hope for a better tomorrow. And just maybe, this trip is a reminder for me (and hopefully for you) that the past does not define us. Whether our story used to be cancer, a failed relationship, or a lost job, it’s never too late to write a new one.

If you want to get involved in this Adventure of Hope, you can contribute directly on the top right of this page through a secure Kimbia donation form. I would also love for you to spread the word about this big crazy audacious dream we are about to embark on (some of you from the comfort of your armchair at home or desk at work). Without your support none of this would be possible and I can’t wait to write the next chapter with you.

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