Here’s how it works: Skiiers/snowboarders measure and log the vertical feet they cover over the 3 months while recruiting donations from friends and family based on how much they ride. Very cool and fun!

Why we like the Team Duke Vertical Challenge: The funds raised go to programs like ours, that directly help people battling cancer RIGHT NOW. In fact, A4C is putting on our first SNOWBOARD Survivorship Camp this April! What a great fundraising program that might just help send someone to camp!

reflection?

both

[although this is the last post, it was the first one i wrote. it is the most personal, and it is a thank you. for that first ohana who was there for me and gave me SO MUCH support and love back in April. a thank you to the staff; the three that truly completed this journey with me, the ones that were there for both camps. and it's a thank you to the ohana from this last camp, for loving me and accepting me and my journey. I am SO, truly, grateful for each of you.]

Part Three.

Reflecting on that week is taking time. Just when it feels like it went by too quick, almost as if it never happened, you realize that it did. That you spent a week in Maui, on of the most beautiful place in the world, meeting THE most amazing people in the world. I have already told everyone with ears about those I was honored to share the week with. About their stories, their fights, their courage and their spirit. Going to Maui was not a vacation. It wasn’t a time to get away from the real world, it was a time to help us all see what our real world really could encompass. Not just the surf and sand and endless sunshine… I think we all learned what was possible. We learned that we could surf, tell our stories, conquer fears and believe in the future.

Yes this was my epic return to the island. It was my chance to live this journey as the person… no the SURVIVOR that I was not 6 months ago. This journey, this island, THIS organization has given me life. I was not living before. I was lost and confused. I thought I knew what I wanted, but I didn’t know how to get there. I didn’t know what MY STORY was… and I certainly didn’t know how it related to everyone else. I was lost in a world unable to understand the beauty, love and power that was in front of me.

This return was not to work on my tan, or buy those lost souvenirs. It was to LIVE. The last time I learned that I COULD live, that I COULD survive. This time around I LIVED and SURVIVED. I was able to understand MY STORY. What it meant for me to have survived cancer, which was a constant struggle for me before April 2011. The first camp allowed me to open up, to speak about my experience and to see world through the pieces.

I was worried that for this camp I wouldn’t be able to be the person I had become. That I wouldn’t be able to “walk the walk.” I had felt this difference in myself since April and really did feel like I had changed. But it would only be once I was set with that challenge (again) would I be able to BE ME. To test this theory that I had changed, and to test this newfound life I felt like I had begun to accomplish. Once I stepped foot on that camp, into that world, with those people I was able to feel all of those pieces come together. I felt whole, for the first time in a long time… if ever.

There was this moment at camp when it became clear. When I was given a chance to talk about my story and where I was now. I was in an interview with SingleFin and he mentioned the effect my experience had had on the staff… and how they felt that maybe that had missed something the last time around… that maybe they could have done more, and that I hadn’t left feeling the way they wanted the camps to accomplish. It wasn’t until they received my email did they truly realize the impact they had had on my life. THEN the kicker came… the point where we all knew just how much the camp had helped, had given me back life… SingleFin mentioned that as much as everyone else talked about me and the changes I made while at camp… He couldn’t see “Seafoam” in “Coral.” He couldn’t believe that I had once been that insecure, scared, quiet, and lost person. That I could have ever been the fraction of the person I am now.

It’s weird to have this… “person” be SO much of who you WERE, but not who you ARE… to look in the mirror and feel like that person has gone. I am not demeaning the girl I once was. It was that person, that route, that journey that brought me to the person I am today. I am not perfect, nowhere near it, but that’s not the point. The point is that I love my imperfections. I love my story, my life, and the road I have in front of me. I am not living for tomorrow, I am living for today. I am in the moment and enjoying every second. The previous part of my story may have taken 22 years to get through, but it’s only a page in my book. I have a new story, a new life and a new meaning to being a cancer survivor.

Some people may read this and think that it was just timing, merely just coincidence. That these changes were bound to happen and magically it all came together on vacation at a surf camp in Maui. Those people couldn’t be more wrong. These changes happened because of the program and staff that Tonia “Lolo” has put together. These changes would not have happened without Wilson/Goose calling me out that one night at camp fire. These changes would not have occurred if I hadn’t gone to camp. Learning to surf and SUP gave me confidence and faith that I could try new things. That I could fall AND get up. Being in Maui pushed me out of my comfort zone into wearing that swim suit and learning to be ok with ME (physically). The campers, their stories and most of all their support taught me to be ok with ME… ALL OF ME. My story, my experience, my face, my scars, my life, my dreams. They taught me that no matter what, they were there and I had to trust in that.

All I was trying to do was shoot a 30-second thank-you and it turned into a 3-minute ramble. My husband warns me that I let my emotions wander too much. He’s always so straight and to-the-point. I should have him do these. Oh well. You all have to just deal with it. It’s from the heart, a little rambly, but thorough. I’m sure it will win awards.

Cancer isn’t something that ends when treatment does. Yes, the cancer cells may be gone, but the effects are not. Some may be physical scars, other emotional. There may be entire lifestyle changes, and huge adjustments to overcome once you’re out of the hospital.

A common misconception is this belief that once you’re hair starts to grow back, the scars begin to heal and the chemotherapy stops, you’re OK, you’re back to normal, you’re alive – so live. Adjusting to life after cancer can take many routes, but the most important piece to recovering is a support system.

Going to camp, arriving in Maui and living by the ocean for a week takes you away from the expectations. Not only the expectations others have for you to get back to a normal routine, but the expectations you have for yourself. It’s not uncommon for survivors to want to jump right back into their life, only to see that they can’t. Maybe what they wanted before treatments isn’t the same now, or maybe there are a lot of things they have yet to deal with. Some survivors take the route of leaving their experience and cancer behind them, while others may use it as a catapult to change the world. There is no right or wrong way to live after cancer. But I think everyone at camp was able to find out how to live, and whom they want or need beside them while they do it.

No matter how long it has been since the last treatment, there are always moments of fear, anger, anxiety an insecurity. Cancer survivors become this whole new person, encountered this entire life change, without wanting it. After cancer there is a lot of learning. Learning who you are, who you want to be, and how you’re going to get there. We have to learn to live again. We have to allow other people to see us, all of us. The pieces that are broken, the pieces that are missing, the pieces we want to get back.. and the pieces we’re afraid might never come back.

Being at camp has this ability to surround you with people WHO GET IT. They understand the fears, anger, anxiety and insecurity.  People who get who you are and the struggles that may come next. No matter what you go through, you can easily feel alone. You can isolate yourself from the world, and feel as if no one understands. Although everyone’s experiences are completely unique, there is someone, many people out there who get it.

It is extraordinary how quickly friendships form at camp. It’s amazing how easily it is to talk to someone who understands who you are before you even say hello. I remember talking to one of the campers on the first night. Trying to get to know myself as a survivor, but also trying to get to know this other person. Feeling insecure because my story was not the same, and that I had been blessed with 23 years of surviving while this person was still in the middle of a battle. Yet, in the end… we were so similar. Our diagnosis’s were different, yet we had the same dreams for the future, “planning-centered” mindsets, and hopes to change the world. We both wanted to get back to ‘normal,’ whatever that was, and we were both able to see how the next few days could change us forever.

To be able to see that kind of thing happen over and over throughout the next few days was unbelievable. I think this rings true in any circumstance where you allow yourself to trust others with your story and your heart, but at camp it’s more than that. At camp you find these pieces you didn’t realize were missing because you never actually had them to begin with. You gain this amazing amount of support and love from people who were strangers less than a week ago.

“The best thing to hold onto in life is each other” –Audrey Hepburn

There will always be pictures, and videos, memories and laughs… But none of those can ever replace the people. The amazing friendships made at camp cannot be captured in words or pictures, only with really being there. It’s not often you can spend a week with a group of strangers and leave with an entire new family, best friends and soul mates.

In the end, we will always have each other. Everyone has been pushed to the limit by life, by cancer. There are still points where we want to break, where we feel like we might no matter how hard we try not to. There are times we feel so separated from the others that you’re certain they’ve forgotten. But then you have an amazing day and the first thing you want to do is text Gecko, or Red Cloud or Touchdown. There are times when you’re sitting somewhere and you randomly hear a Disney song and instantly want a smoothie. The crazy looks you get for mentioning that you need to tell Gemini and Honu after you saw a seaturtle bumper sticker. Those moments connect us. They make us feel whole and remind us that we are not alone and that we have each other.

Cancer took a lot from all of us. Beating cancer gave us life, hope and family; A group of people that we will hold on to for the rest of our lives.

Athletes for Cancer’s survivorship camps helped me find WHO I AM, and learn that there are amazing people out there who will love me for me, if i give them a chance.

Missing my o’hana, and craving a smoothie!

Love, Coral

Here is an experience you can give to a loved one that is like no other. What if you gave an experience that changed a life?

Consider giving the gift of an Athletes for Cancer Membership this holiday season.  With a minimum donation of $250, you can give an A4C Membership in someone else’s name so they can experience being an agent of impact, while giving a life-altering experience to someone else.  Recipient receives a shirt, sticker, invitations to special events and opportunities to be more involved. They also receive updates on the impact of our survivorship program that you’ve helped fund.

Or, make a donation in any amount in someone else’s name and they will receive a personal thank-you card and information on the Survivorship Program they are supporting.

Athletes for Cancer is a small organization that thrives on impact and outcome. Each donation truly and positively transforms lives. Thank you for your support.

• April 1-7, 2012 – Surfing & Standup Paddlesurfing : Maui, Hawaii
• November 1-7, 2012 -  Surfing & Standup Paddlesurfing : Maui, Hawaii
• November 11-17, 2012 -  Surfing & Standup Paddlesurfing : Maui, Hawaii

Additional camps may be added for 2012. Check back here for the latest info.

Survivorship Requirements

• ALL LEVELS of physical abilities are welcome to apply!!
• cancer fighters and survivors between the ages of 18 and 40 at time of application
• cancer diagnosis must be after 18th birthday
• submission and approval of survivor application
• submission and approval of medical form completed by doctor
• airfare/transportation to the nearest airport of camp destination is attendee’s responsibility, but food, accommodations, transportation during camp, instruction, and all necessary gear is covered for the week once at camp.

On October 30, twelve cancer survivors between the ages of 19 and 40 arrived at Camp Oluwalu on Maui’s west shore to experience the Athletes for Cancer Survivorship Program.

Their journeys originated from eight states and two countries — New York, Ontario, and Florida, Texas, California, Oregon, Washington, Phoenix, and Colorado.  Their cancers: Testicular, Hodgkins Lymphoma (three), Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia, Lymphoblastic Leukemia, Glioblastoma Brain Cancer, Retinoblastoma, and Breast Cancer (3). Three were still undergoing different treatments of chemotherapy and radiation.

A4C fighters and survivors who come to camp must arrive with a Power Name. Power names describe where you are in your life; it gives power to its owner and power to the name. Power Names are unique to Athletes for Cancer Ambassadors who attend camp, and you just might have to attend one to get one.

Day 2: Finding comfort and confidence. We continue getting comfortable in the water, both in surfing and standup paddling. Everyone tries both, and some are already finding their confidence in one over the other.

Part One:

 When you’re preparing for camp there are so may things running through your mind. Am I ready for this? What if I can’t swim? I am not an ‘athlete’? How do I talk about being a survivor? Will people get it? And then once you’re there and you realize your whole world has changed you think; ‘what am I going to do without these people around me every day?’

Camp isn’t about the day-to-day challenges, it is about a week long journey that opens your mind and heart. Being a part of the Athletes for Cancer Survivorship camps has hands-down changed my life.

When I saw the sign for the first camp back in February 2011 (for the April camp) I thought to myself ‘I guess being a cancer survivor has its benefits… Vacation? Ok!’ Once I thought about the camp more and looked into the organization, I realized that this was not a vacation… Rather an experience; one that I wasn’t sure if I even wanted. Being a cancer survivor in your twenties isn’t easy… Even though I have been a survivor for 23 of my 24 years of life, it is something I never dealt with.

So I almost backed out. I wasn’t the ‘athlete’ I used to be, and I wasn’t ready to deal with my issues. I didn’t need to be an athlete to be there but I did need to learn how to live, and truly survive.

Surrender to Nothing

The point of the survivorship camps is to harness confidence and LIFE through water sports. The entire point of camp is to learn how to live again. There are opportunities to test yourself to find how far you can push yourself again. For a lot of the campers the idea of camp and surfing (especially when you have never been in the water before) can be daunting. But these lessons are not to push you back into shape, they are to allow you to see your potential and learn what life has to offer. I cannot begin to express how amazing it is to get on a board and be able to paddle 3.2 miles at the end of the week. Or ride in a wave for the first time. Just one of many things that is beyond words.

When you see the website or the flyer or hear people talk about camp, it sounds too good to be true. The things is, there isn’t a quick ‘back-to-normal’ after cancer. Mostly because cancer changes you. Cancer has a way of tearing you down and making you feel weak, while surviving gives you this strength and need to be back to who you were. Being a cancer survivor sticks with you. No matter how hard you try to forget that you had it, or forget what you went through, it’s always there. Often as YAs we want to be back to who we were before… Being in Maui with other people who ‘understand’ gives you a chance to learn a new normal. To learn who you are as a survivor. Maui offers the chance to separate from your ‘cancer’ world long enough to begin rebuilding who you want to be.

Athletes for Cancer takes a group of strangers to a beautiful island in the Pacific and gives them LIFE. Confidence. Hope. Faith. And an O’HANA.

Maui is one of the most beautiful places in the world. And going there as a cancer survivor, for this camp makes you feel like anything is possible. You’re separated from the real world, the medication, the IV polls, the doctors and scans and stigmas. You’re given a week to live on this island where you can’t help but learn to believe again. Not just in the beauty of the world, but in yourself, in your abilities and in those around you.

When you’re at camp it’s important to feel comfortable, yet challenged. That’s how you grow. At the first camp I was surrounded by people I knew. Yet none of them really knew my WHOLE story. I had never truly explored the ocean (it’s far too cold in Oregon), and I had never tested my confidence, because let’s face it… I didn’t really have any. I was challenged far beyond anything I had ever imagined. I grew. I succeeded. I learned to have faith in myself and in those around me.

I changed when I first saw that flyer. I started to see myself as a survivor. Every notion I had about A4C changed the instant I was in the water. Every notion I had about myself changed the instant i stepped off of the plane. Back in April, I was very skeptical! How could it be possible for a group of strangers to head to Maui to learn how to surf, SUP and… LIVE. Leaving in November I was able to see that camp not only changed my life, but gave other’s their lives back.

-Coral.

We’re shouting out the impact of our survivorship program to the world. We’re done being modest.  Athletes for Cancer is aiming to raise $50 K by January 1 for our Young Adult Surviviorship Programs and we need your help. If you would like to go ahead and donate, do so here.  Or, read on more about the Program…

About the A4C Survivorship Camp Program

Athletes for Cancer creates life-changing experiences for young adult cancer fighters and survivors through outdoor adventure programs that challenge, support, and inspire individuals to rebuild their lives after cancer.

The A4C Survivorship Program brings survivors together in a safe, active setting for facing and embracing challenges, and connecting with other survivors while finding a common ground on the path to rebuilding life after cancer. Our current camps take place in Maui, Hawaii, integrating the rich ocean culture and adventures of surfing, standup paddling, and outrigger canoeing as channels toward life renewal.

The myth of Survivorship

Learning to SUP

Help us sustain and expand the impact of this program.

How you can contribute and be an agent of impact

1. Give the gift of a donation (and the opportunity to help rebuild a life) in someone’s name. >
2. Give the gift of an Athletes for Cancer Membership. Give a minimum donation of $250 to become an Athletes for Cancer Member. Recipient receives a shirt, sticker, invitations to special events and opportunities to be more involved.
3. Refer a survivor you know to our program >
4. Like our Facebook page (this is minor, but always helps get the word out!) >

If you would like to make an impact on this program, we ask that you DONATE now.  If you would like to volunteer for one of our camps or events, apply here. Our volunteers are the meat of what we do! You’ll be contributing to an incredible program and it does feed the soul a bit too.

If you want to learn even more about the program, go to our website. You can also apply here.  Or, see how far your dollar goes when giving the gift of impact to someone:

Photos by Tracy Kraft Leboe