Meet Yoli Origel, Cancer Warrior and CEO and Founder of Cancer Kinship and Kinner Beauty Wigs

Hardship was part of Yolanda “Yoli” Origel’s story, but it never defined her. Instead, she
transformed it into purpose, building work rooted in lived experience, profound loss, and
a deep commitment to ensure no one facing cancer feels alone, unseen, or without
support.

Yoli is the Founder and CEO of Cancer Kinship, a survivor-founded nonprofit
headquartered at the Melinda Hoag Smith Center for Healthy Living in Newport Beach,
and the owner of Kinner Beauty Wigs, a mission-driven social enterprise based in Brea
serving all of Orange County. Together, the two create a compassionate ecosystem
where survivorship, dignity, and community care meet.

A story rooted in love and lived experience
Cancer has been part of Yoli’s story from the beginning. She lost her mother to
metastatic breast cancer when she was ten. At thirty-one, she was diagnosed with
Stage III breast cancer herself. Years later, as an eight-year survivor, she lost her
younger sister to the same disease. Today, eighteen years after her own diagnosis, Yoli
continues to carry that story with honesty and purpose.

As she moved through survivorship, Yoli began mentoring newly diagnosed patients at
the request of her breast surgeon. In those conversations, she noticed that even in fear,
people wanted to give back. Many asked her, “How do I do what you’re doing when I’m
done with treatment?” Over time, survivors supporting survivors became a calling.
Yoli also saw a gap in the cancer-care landscape. Orange County has world-class
cancer centers and organizations doing lifesaving work in research and treatment, yet
survivorship often receives far fewer resources. She kept returning to a central question:
Who supports the survivor once treatment ends, when appointments slow down, fear
lingers, and life is expected to return to normal? And who supports the emotional
wellbeing of those living with uncurable cancers? That is where Cancer Kinship lives.

Building Cancer Kinship

After her sister’s passing, Yoli was asked to mentor again. That invitation clarified what
she had already been living: connection, presence, and compassion can change how
people endure cancer and rebuild after trauma. In 2015, she began writing her plans for
programs, funding, and sustainability. In 2018, she formally founded Cancer Kinship to
create a trusted, survivor-led space for peer support, education, and whole-person care.

Cancer Kinship launched its first program in 2019. Soon after, COVID shutdowns forced
rapid adaptation. The organization shifted to virtual programming, which became an
unexpected bridge to broader impact, connecting survivors beyond Orange County and
growing a wider community rooted in shared experience.

Like many grassroots nonprofits, long-term sustainability remains a constant challenge.
Philanthropic priorities shift, and resources are stretched across many urgent needs.
Yoli recognized the important reality that running a nonprofit still means running a
business. To support and expand the work, she leaned into a mission-aligned model
that could help fund the nonprofit over time, which led to the growth of Kinner Beauty
Wigs.

Where beauty becomes a bridge to healing
Cancer Kinship’s work includes peer mentorship, survivor education, support groups,
navigation of community resources, and a free wig salon for individuals experiencing
hair loss. Hair loss can be one of the most emotionally jarring parts of treatment, and
the way Cancer Kinship meets people in that moment sets the tone for everything that
follows.

In 2021, when Susan G. Komen Orange County transitioned to remote operations,
Cancer Kinship stepped in to ensure their long-standing free wig program did not
disappear. The program expanded under Cancer Kinship’s care and later opened as a
dedicated salon that now serves as an entry point to the organization’s broader
services.

What makes the experience different is how it is delivered. Wig consultations are
provided by survivors who can offer both practical guidance and emotional reassurance.
From there, clients can be gently introduced to mentorship, education, and wellness
programs. Cancer Kinship serves adult individuals across different cancer types and
stages, creating a welcoming space for many different journeys.

Separately, Kinner Beauty Wigs is an online store and social enterprise where
beauty meets purpose. While distinct from Cancer Kinship’s free wig salon, the store
helps fuel the mission by generating sustainable revenue through sales. Kinner Beauty
Wigs serves everyone from everyday wig wearers to individuals with alopecia, cancer
patients and survivors, and anyone who wants to explore different colors, styles, or
textures. The shop offers high-quality synthetic, human hair, and blended wigs, with
a clear message of empowerment: beauty can be confidence-restoring and joyful, and it
can also support something bigger.

Survivor-led, trauma-informed, deeply relational

Yoli describes her work as survivor-led, trauma-informed, and deeply relational. Cancer
Kinship creates safe spaces where healing begins through connection, storytelling, and
trust. Her hope is that those who once entered the community feeling afraid will one day
return as mentors and leaders for someone newly stepping into the storm. That cycle of
support is reflected in Cancer Kinship’s tagline: “Braving the storm together.”

Collaboration that expands impact

Cancer Kinship has become a trusted hub within Orange County’s cancer ecosystem,
receiving referrals from local cancer centers and cancer-serving nonprofits throughout
the region.

Yoli also serves as Chair of the Orange County Cancer Coalition (OC3), a collaborative
network that brings together hospitals, nonprofits, public health agencies, and
community organizations to coordinate care and improve access. In addition, she
participates in systems-level leadership through Varian’s EmpowerME Patient Advocacy
Board and the California Dialogue on Cancer, helping elevate survivor perspectives and
improve pathways to support services.

Why Yoli shines

Yoli shines because she has transformed loss into connection, fear into purpose, and
survivorship into community. Through Cancer Kinship and Kinner Beauty Wigs, she is
creating a gentler place to land and a powerful reminder that healing is strengthened
when compassion is shared forward.

Learn more: cancerkinship.org | kinnerbeautywigs.com
Follow: Instagram @cancerkinship | @kinner_beauty_wigs
Facebook @cancerkinship | @kinnerbeautywigs
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/yolandaorigel/