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< Jan/Feb 2002
	Hotline
Ludden’s Cancer Kayak Camp a Huge Success

As if being an American Junior Freestyle Champion wasn’t enough, Brad Ludden recently added another title to his resume: humanitarian. In August, Ludden launched First Descents, a motivational camp for kids with cancer, in his new home of Vail, Colo. With support from the Vail Valley Tourism and Convention Bureau and Eagle Mount Cancer Organization, Ludden hosted 14 adolescent cancer survivors at his week-long kayaking program.

Though he’s volunteered as an instructor at several children’s cancer camps, it was the experience of watching family friend and avid kayaker Kevin Kellher battle cancer that spurred First Descents. "To watch him overcome that, largely through kayaking, made me realize that kayaking is a really powerful thing," he says. "It brings out the best in people. But even a step beyond that, it gives people traits to use in life that are really going to help them. It gives you self-confidence. It gives you courage. It gives you patience. So not only does kayaking bring out the best in people, it gives the best to people."

The first day at the practice lake, campers arrived to an armada of new kayaks strewn across the lawn, with paddlers Corey Nielsen and Buffy Lundine outlining basics. The following day, after two hours in the lake, three campers snapped their first rolls, including Brad Liubakka who completed chemotherapy only two months prior.

For Jaimie Leslie, 19, a survivor of Hodgkin’s disease, the camp realized a dream. "I never thought I’d be able to kayak," he says. "It’s a new adventure that I’ve always wanted to try."

Though most of the campers are in remission, two bear obvious signs of their battles with cancer: each suffered an amputated leg, making rolling a kayak even more challenging. To help campers meet such challenges, Ludden enlisted several notable athletes to deliver motivational messages, including World Extreme Skiing Champion Chris Anthony, who spoke about self-confidence; Eco Challenge Champions Mike Kloser and Ellen Miller, who expounded on teamwork; and Olympic snowboarders Barrett Christy and Megan Pischke, who talked about courage.

Christy, who also accompanied the campers on a horseback ride, felt honored to be a part of the camp. "We’re so fortunate to be living this lifestyle, why not give back?" Christy says. "Besides, I was just so impressed that a 20-year-old pro kayaker, who could just as easily spend his time being lazy, had the desire and vision to put this together."

Nate Tobecksen, communications director for sponsor Nike ACG, agrees: "It blows me away that an athlete has that much passion and wants to share it with these kids. That’s pretty strange for a 40-year-old athlete let alone a 20-year-old."

Ludden, however, insists that he reaps far more from these experiences than perhaps even the participants. "After what they’ve been through, these kids have learned so much about facing challenges. They’re not afraid. They want to learn and if they get tired or cold or hungry, they’re not going to stop. That kind of enthusiasm is addicting. It rubs off on you and then you get that sort of passion for life. That’s where I’m benefiting."

Next year Ludden wants to expand the program to three camps—one solely for breast cancer survivors. The ultimate goal is to create a year-round program. However, that kind of commitment must compete with Ludden’s hectic paddling schedule. "This has become such a passion for me," he says. "I’d drop everything else in life to do this…but I still have a ‘job’, if you will."

—Amy K. Sundberg