Cancer Survivor Takes Off for ‘Round the World Volunteer Trip with the Help of Go Overseas

Feb. 16, 2012 - PRLog -- Berkeley, CA – February 16, 2012 – Terri Wingham has embarked on a trip of a lifetime. The Vancouver, Canada resident won a ‘round the world plane ticket from the Go Overseas “Leave-a-Review” (http://www.gooverseas.com/leave-a-review-contest) contest in October 2011 and decided to use it to volunteer on nearly every continent. Go Overseas (http://www.gooverseas.com/), the leading online resource for programs abroad with a Yelp-style user review system, is a global hub for a wide variety of content related to studying abroad, volunteer abroad opportunities, international internships, and teach abroad programs.

In October 2009, Wingham’s life was changed by her breast cancer diagnosis. Everything that had once seemed important was thrown out the window. Her struggles through cancer and chemo therapy have highlighted what matters to her in life.

Although the chemo and surgeries were an unbearably difficult part of the process of her battle with cancer, her struggles didn’t end when the surgery ended.

“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,” says Wingham.

While Wingham says she may never be the person she was before cancer, she was able to feel excited about life again for the first time when she volunteered abroad in Africa. The decision to leave her job and travel for a total of nine weeks in four different African countries wasn’t an easy one but it was well worth it.

Now Wingham is working on a variety of projects: her book about being a cancer survivor and not a victim, starting the Fresh Chapter Foundation to provide support for other cancer survivors, and adventuring for six months around the world as a volunteer. The trip has been made possible with the support of many organizations like Go Overseas, who has provided flight subsidy through the contest and support in the form of promotion and connections with volunteer providers around the world.

“Terri’s story is an amazing and inspirational one,” said Mitch Gordon, president of Go Overseas. “We wish her all the best on her adventures and are looking forward to following her stories as she travels.”

Wingham’s Travel Itinerary:
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 – TBD
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

Learn more about Terri Wingham, her battle with cancer, and her volunteer abroad adventures at A Fresh Chapter (http://www.afreshchapter.com/).

About Go Overseas
GoOverseas.com is the leading social network connecting global citizens with study, volunteer, intern, and teach abroad opportunities around the world. The online Go Overseas community lists nearly every program abroad in the world. Each program listing includes Yelp-style user generated ratings and reviews. The Go Overseas community also includes regular authoritative articles, a blogging community, resources, travel related writing contests and scholarship opportunities.