I moved to the Catskills in July 2020, 4 years ago this month, during a small window between undergoing a rigorous course of chemotherapy and surgery followed by radiation and then more chemo to treat Triple Negative breast cancer. The pandemic was in full swing, I was severely immunocompromised, as was my mother who I visited frequently and who was battling stage 4 cancer. The Catskills, which had been a place my husband Adam and I visited frequently, became our safe haven and a place to heal and fight this illness while also being able to see and keep my mother and father safe during their battle. Learning about the native flora and fauna here, being surrounded by the wildlife who frequently show up on our doorstep and how best to care for, steward and not ruin the land we are honored to be a part of and connected to helped me stay grounded, present, stimulated, moving and hopeful about the potential for a life after cancer. I believe I owe my cancer free life to this land and all its inhabitants and am honored and grateful to be able to participate in fundraising for the Catskill Center to help protect and preserve the 700k plus acres of the Catskill Park and Catskill Forest Preserve we live within. I am a gardener with a focus on plants native to the Catskills and Northeast, providing food, shelter and water for birds, insects and wildlife and grow a substantial amount of our food during Spring, Summer and Fall. I am also a creative director at an indie publisher and have my own design studio here in the Catskills, working with local businesses and organizations. Very grateful for my life here.

You can participate by making a donation or come join the team! You can find my individual fundraiser under Moonhill Habitat | Nicole Caputo Design. Thank you for helping me give back for all I have been given.