Fresh Chapter Alliance Foundation (FCAF) is a Canadian not-for-profit corporation. In the U.S.A., the FCAF is a program fiscally sponsored by Phase One – The Road to Curing Cancer, a California nonprofit public benefit corporation.
Mission: To help cancer survivors shift their perspectives and find new meaning and purpose in their lives through volunteering internationally.
Vision: To create unique opportunities for cancer survivors to build global connections and participate in meaningful travel. To collaborate with other cancer support organizations to ensure that no cancer survivor in North America walks out the door on their final day of treatment feeling alone and like the support has ended.
Values:
- Shared Humanity;
- Global Connections;
- Adventure; and
- Empowerment.
FCAF is building strategic partnerships with major cancer support organizations across North America and, through these partnerships, will offer programming to help thousands of cancer survivors select, fundraise, and prepare for their own international volunteer trips.
As more survivors join us on the road, we will start a movement of:
- Adventure after cancer;
- Service as a way of healing;
- Cultural exchange and understanding; and
- Walking through fear and writing fresh chapters in our post-treatment stories.
Why is FCAF undertaking #Delhi2013?
- To provide cancer survivors an opportunity to volunteer internationally and to better understand if this experience can help survivors shift their perspectives and find new meaning and purpose in their post-cancer lives;
- To raise awareness about the complex emotional challenges of cancer survivorship;
- To shed light on some of the challenges in the global cancer community, including issues of stigma, secrecy, and shame around cancer in India.
In order to pilot the idea of international volunteer programs for cancer survivors, the Fresh Chapter Alliance Foundation is partnering with Cross-Cultural Solutions to take 12 cancer survivors, a researcher, and a filmmaker to New Delhi, India in February 2013. During this two-week program, each survivor will have the opportunity to volunteer with community projects, meet local cancer patients and survivors, participate in cultural exchange activities, and even see the Taj Mahal.
Both film and research methods will be used to capture the experiences of these 12 survivors with the purposes of further shaping the program as well as sharing their stories to generate awareness about survivorship and global cancer.
Each participant is fundraising to cover their in-country costs, but the Fresh Chapter Alliance Foundation is raising funds to cover the costs of flights, film production, and a trip to the Taj Mahal for each participant. Click HERE to see a breakdown of the budget and click HERE to donate.
Why is this program innovative?
An international volunteer trips, like #Delhi2013, is innovative because it is expected to provide survivors with the following emotional and physical benefits:
- A sense of accomplishment from fundraising the CCS Program Fee of $2607.
- The chance to escape thousands of miles from where treatment took place;
- An opportunity to take care of others and shift the role from care receiver to caregiver;
- The ability to create connections with a group of fellow volunteers and locals who have no expectation for survivors to “get back to normal” and who will give them the space and time to reflect on whether they want to redefine themselves and what this redefinition might look like;
- The opportunity to shift perspectives globally:
- For survivors from the West to experience the struggles of life in a developing country and see if it creates a desire to give back and find new purpose/meaning in their lives;
- For patients and caregivers in India to see examples of people who have survived cancer and who are now passionate about changing the face of global cancer or giving back in their own communities;
- The chance for all survivors to write a new chapter in their life story.
What outcomes does FCAF expect to achieve?
- Better understanding of the benefits a program like this has on survivors (through surveys and other research methods);
- Feedback to enhance future programming;
- Raised awareness about the complex emotional challenges of cancer survivorship (using both film and written mediums);
- Increased dialogue about the challenges, stigma, secrecy, and shame facing the global cancer community in India (using both film and written mediums).
Why FCAF believes it will achieve those outcomes?
A significant number of studies demonstrate that volunteering is a proven method of increasing personal satisfaction and happiness as well as overcoming symptoms of recovering from a serious illness.
Data pulled from the American’s Changing Lives data set correlate volunteering as a medium to pull one out of depression (Piliavin and Siegl, 2007). We believe that volunteering will help survivors’ transition out of feelings of isolation and depression into feeling a sense of purpose and meaning in their lives again. Piliavin and Siegl clearly delineate that volunteering is not just any form of social activity. It is a new role where the survivor takes on a nurturing and selfless role. By allowing survivors to learn to live with possible cancer reoccurrence (Sherman, Rosedale, and Haber, 2012), this cathartic experience of helping another allows survivors to grow and come to terms with repressed memories of feeling helpless.
We already know this idea resonates with survivors. With only a limited window of time and mostly word-of-mouth marketing, 60+ survivors expressed interest in participating in #Delhi2013 and over 25 people applied for one of the 12 spots. These survivors range in age from 23-60 and have experienced a broad range of cancers.
Why is FCAF worthy of financial support?
By donating to Fresh Chapter Alliance Foundation, you will be part of helping create a new paradigm in survivorship. With plans to develop multi-faceted trips (including international volunteering, cultural exchange, and bucket-list worthy activities) reaching to the four corners of the world, your support will help survivors became invested global citizens as well as make their bucket list dreams come true.
References
Cattan, M., Hogg, E., & Hardill, I. (2011). Improving quality of life in ageing populations: What can volunteering do? . Maturitas, 70(4), 328-332.
Piliavin, J. A., & Siegl, E. (2007). Health Benefits of Volunteering in the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study.. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 48(4), 450-464.
Richardson, A., Hall, A., & Amir, Z. (2011). Knowledge, ignorance and priorities for research in key areas of cancer survivorship: findings from a scoping review. British Journal of Cancer, 105, 425.
Witt, D., Rosedale, M., & Haber, J. (2012). Reclaiming Life on One's Own Terms: A Grounded Theory Study of the Process of Breast Cancer Survivorship. Oncology Nursing Foum, 39, e258-e268.
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