Nikki Kallio
Life, as we know, sometimes throws us a curve.
Former Redding resident Nikki Kallio experienced that in 2012 when she learned – four days before Christmas – that she had early stage breast cancer. Add to it the equally unexpected news that she carried the BRCA-2 gene mutation, putting her at risk for recurrences and other cancers.
After a brutal decision-making process and three surgeries, she is cancer-free and planning to volunteer in November with a group of other survivors in South Africa. Founded by cancer survivor Terri Wingham, afreshchapter.com aims to help heal the emotional (and helpless) side of cancer by empowering survivors through volunteer work. And at the same time, it creates a bucket-list travel opportunity. A Fresh Chapter has traveled to India three times, and in November, the organization is hosting its inaugural Cape Town program. Kallio, a writer who now lives in Wisconsin, wants to attend, with the ultimate goal of becoming a program leader for other survivors on future excursions.
But she needs to raise $5,000 for the cost of the volunteer trip and program fees. To help get there, she’s emptying out her storage unit and having a moving sale at 2101 Wisconsin Ave. Friday from noon to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.She’s hoping people will be able to stop by before they head out of town for Memorial Day weekend.
If you’re not able to attend, she has a volunteer funding site set up at https://www.volunteerforever.com/volunteer_profile/nikki-kallio. Please consider helping Kallio get to Cape Town – she’s be helping out people there (possibly with a resume writing program, or with a women’s empowerment program), and she’ll be helping herself and other cancer survivors.
If you know of other cancer survivors who would benefit from a volunteer adventure, visit afreshchapter.com – more excursions are coming in 2016.
-from press release
