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In Memory of Wendy Chioji

Gifts made in Wendy Chioji's memory will be used to provide journalism scholarship support to students studying at the Nicholson School of Communication and Media. I understand that my gift will be put towards endowment of this fund should the overall amount of contributions received reach or exceed the minimum endowment level of $25,000.

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WENDY CHIOJI

Wendy Chioji was an award-winning journalist renowned for her rare ability to connect with all viewers, readers and listeners no matter their age, gender, race, religion, political persuasion, sexual preference or socio-economic standing.

Chioji spent the majority of her career as a beloved news anchor for WESH-TV in Orlando. After 25 years reporting the news, the story that she began to tell most frequently, and the one that would ultimately have the greatest impact on others, was her own.

In 2001, the week after competing in the Boston Marathon, Chioji was diagnosed with Stage 2 breast cancer. She was 39. At a time when few media personalities shared details of private health battles, Wendy didn’t hesitate to broadcast her story.

For the next two years, Wendy fought a very public battle, sharing intimate details of not only her surgeries and treatment but also her roller coaster of emotions. She emerged cancer free with a new appreciation for the value of every minute. She walked away from the anchor desk at the peak of her career and moved to Park City, Utah to become a fitness coach, adventure racer, triathlete and an advocate and fundraiser for cancer causes.

In 2013, an MRI revealed a small mass in her chest, and a rare and aggressive form of cancer called thymic carcinoma. Surgeons removed her thymus gland and, after radiation treatment and low-dose chemotherapy, her cancer was declared in remission.

One year later her cancer returned, as stage 4 metastatic thymic carcinoma. With no known treatment options, Wendy began participating in clinical trials hoping to contribute to research that she knew would likely never cure her but would advance the knowledge base and one day lead to a breakthrough cure.

Wendy never let her cancer steal her quality of life. She competed in the KONA Ironman World Championships, climbed Mount Kilimanjaro with fellow survivors, and Mt. Fuji with her father. She anchored the Emmy-nominated program Surviving & Thriving and worked as an on-air correspondent for Growing Bolder and Park City TV, and more.

In one of her final interviews, Wendy shared the message that came to define her life. “I get frustrated when I see others not taking full advantage of good health, of resources, of free time, and making their lives everything they can be. I would love to have that opportunity. I'd love to be able to count on 20 more years of traveling around the world, visiting many more countries and eating great food. I'm not going to have that. I know that. So my advice is to take calculated risks. Say yes. Go out and do things. Try to be great every day because it might be your last day.”

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In Memory of Wendy Chioji

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WENDY CHIOJI