This will be my 4th year kayaking 110 miles south with SebastianStrong in search of a better tomorrow for children fighting cancer. And each year I am given the opportunity to reflect on what this week means to me.

From the start, keeping Sebastian with me has been my main inspiration. Being where he would’ve been, doing what he would’ve done, keeps my memories of him alive. And at the same time, enhances my understanding of my passed friend. He sure was beyond his time. 

In recent years, my motivation has grown with my knowledge of the present circumstances concerning pediatric cancer research. Amidst all the capabilities of today, it is unacceptable that the “best” options available to our children are more than 40 years old. Life at any stage is worth fighting for, but with less than 4% of all cancer research being allocated towards childhood cancer, we are significantly downplaying our investment on life that has just started living. This must change.

Today, I am encouraged by the new additions to our team … our family. As a witness to who Sebastian was and the life that he lived, I know why I paddle. But, to have loved ones, who did not know Sebastian, be inspired to pick up a paddle, is something special for me. I pray for this feeling to grow each year. 

Unfortunately, cancer is not an “If” today, but a “When.” The sense of urgency that floods a household or community when the message of cancer arrives needs to start now. Let’s not be overwhelmed with fear tomorrow, by acting with purpose today. 

In closing, I leave you with a quote from testimony shared with me while out on the water last year. “Our HOPE lies in research.”

Join me in my effort to raise money for the SebastianStrong Foundation during Kayaking the Keys for Hope!

Together we're funding innovative research for childhood cancers. SebastianStrong is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that funds discovery science to cure childhood cancers and supports families affected by this disease. It has received the highest level of recognition for transparency from GuideStar, the world’s largest source of information about nonprofit organizations. When you support SebastianStrong, you are helping to ensure that no family has to face childhood cancer alone. You are funding HOPE.