W H Y ?

I became originally involved with the Crossing For A Cure because I love paddle boarding. I love being out on the water breathing the briny air coming off the ocean, looking down into the water to see the majestic marine life as I glide across the surface; I’m an advocate for the healing properties of water— when you immerse yourself in these marine environments you tap into your BlueMind and your health and wellness improves on so many levels. In the first Crossing Committee Meeting I attended, our event founder, Travis Suit, was explaining how salt air can help clear the lungs of people with cystic fibrosis (CF); for emphasis he threw open his arms and projected his voice to fill the whole room and said, “WATER HEALS!”

Then, I began to meet the most beautiful, incredible humans with the genetic, terminal disease, cystic fibrosis. I began to learn more about this heartbreaking, isolating disease. I began to understand that for these lovely souls, Salt Life is more than just a bumper sticker. They need this supply of salty air, so much so that most of them take salt air breathing treatments daily, sometimes multiple times a day. Through one on one, interpersonal exposure I’ve began to find a deeper understanding of the sacredness and tragedy of their lives.

The people in the community I’ve met with cystic fibrosis have impacted my life in seemingly minute ways that cling to my psyche like mucous sticks to the walls of their lungs: Brett talked me into registering for the Crossing the day I met him. I remember his cool expression as he pulled the CF card, “Well, I’m doing it and I have cystic fibrosis;” I became very close friends with Joe (the guy in the opening scenes of Epic Love) and we talked CF science endlessly during our training paddles; in Bimini, LeeAnn— literally— touched my heart as I left the beach and since then, I’ve taken a couple really memorable trips with her; Ben travelled across the Atlantic to paddle in the Crossing and we jumped into the dark purple Gulf Stream together for the first time, days before we paddled back across. A few months later, we were roommates for a week in Costa Rica and I watched him learn to surf with the most beautiful jungle backdrop; I fell in love with Megan; moved in part-time with Piper; paddled with Gunther; and became an insta-follower to countless CF social influencers. I watch them, support them, hold them and care for them from whatever distance we’re at because they motivate me to be stronger, better, bolder and more graceful every day.

Last year, through my 65 Roses Art Project I heard so many tragic, beautiful stories of life lived and lost to this devastating disease— and I paddled their names across the ocean. This year, I am creating unique roses on paper to individually honor those with cystic fibrosis. While I will not be paddling them across the ocean, they are with me, in my heart. For a $100 DONATION TO MY CROWDRISE FUNDRAISER, I’ll paint a rose to honor a beautiful human afflicted with cystic fibrosis and it will be yours to keep (or give away). I plan to use water color and ink to stay in alignment with the watery theme.

Namaste.