Life has hit professional snowboarder Kimmy Fasani hard this year. In November, she was diagnosed with stage III inflammatory breast cancer after a self examination. The treatment, as you can see above, was brutal. But Kimmy – a speaker at The Inertia’s 2019 EVOLVE Summit – has come through the other side. “This journey,” she says, “isn’t meant to be done alone. It’s meant to be done with a community.”
As you’ll see above, Kimmy and husband and professional skier Chris Benchetler, relied on the mountain community to help get them through a long, difficult year, allowing vulnerability and nature to set the path to a healthy future. And now, the pair want to do that for others. That’s why they established the Benchetler Fasani Foundation, “to provide a meaningful connection to the outdoors for those who have suffered loss or hardship, by experiencing the healing properties found only in nature.” With the foundation they hope to help others who have been impacted by cancer, and, leaving the mission open ended, others who have been affected by traumatic events. In short, they recognize the power of the outdoor community and want others to experience that.
The Benchetler Fasani Foundation is currently running an online auction to raise money for the organization. Up for grabs are things like snowboard gear, a Japan backcountry trip (Japow!), a pair of atomic skis, an icon pass, and GoPro packages (among other goodies). You can also donate directly. “After sharing my journey this year, the support we’ve had has moved us more than we ever thought possible,” Fasani said in a release. “We’ve also heard from many people in similar hardships and feel that we are in a position to help. We want to empower those struggling (to find) their own path of healing through nature.”
The online auction and fundraiser is live until October 16. Click here to help.
