Meet Our New Program Coordinator
No Mud, No Lotus Flower
Hello, Project Koru Community!
My name is Jesse “Bull” Eriksen, and I am PK’s newest team member. Starting in January 2024, I was brought on as the new Program and Development Coordinator for Project Koru. My goal from day one with PK has been to dive in head first and do everything I can to help this organization thrive, reach more people, and continue to cultivate fantastic programs for our participants.
I came to PK after seemingly unrelated parts of my life collided and seeing the writing on the wall that this is where I am supposed to be to give back to the world and people around me. My career background looked like 14 years working in the outdoor mental health field. Early on in life, I understood the healing, connective, and introspective powers behind being in the natural world. So, for those 14 years, I worked with clients and co-workers to facilitate the environment for change, vulnerability, community, and growth.
Then, in 2022, I was diagnosed with stage 2 testicular cancer and underwent treatment and the path to recovery. Once I started to come up for air at the end of treatment, I realized that there were more than the medical parts that needed to be addressed because of this experience. I knew how powerful the outdoors could be and how much I wanted to connect with other young adult people who had been through something like me. I found Project Koru and was lucky enough to go to a camp and really start to hit the reset button on life. I am forever grateful for that opportunity.
It all got me thinking... I fought for this new life, and what am I going to do with it?
A lotus flower can only grow out of smelly, gross, muddy water. What could I grow from my own mud? I can combine my professional background with this amazing organization and my personal understanding of cancer survivorship to support the human, emotional, and communal parts of cancer survivors that can often times go unnoticed, unattended to, or forgotten amidst all the medical pieces.
I am here for one reason: because this is exactly where I need to be for others and myself.
You can contact me at jesse@projectkoru.org. Happy to connect about Project Koru!
With Gratitude,
Jesse “Bull” Eriksen