Since you’re reading this I’m going to make the assumption you’ve been surfing at least once in your life. And I’d also say it’s a safe assumption that you left, or regularly leave, the ocean feeling better than before your skin first felt that saltwater. This is a pretty general understanding amongst us that surfing is a positive experience. Surfing makes us feel good for a myriad of reasons and in turn most of us believe we’re lucky to have it in our lives.
Now how about we put a twist on that logic? What if surfing had the power to physically save you? I don’t mean let’s get spiritual and deep and philosophical kind of salvation. I mean you’re born with a life threatening disorder in which salt water is the best treatment to alleviate its painful symptoms. Would you curse the disorder and just be happy to have surfing? Or would you be thankful that disorder brought you to the ocean? 14 year old Breana Schroeder chose the latter. Living with Cystic Fibrosis, a genetic disorder that produces extremely thick mucus in her lungs, Briana can’t even breathe with the ease most of us take for granted all day long. Salt water, however, is a known and proven relief for people affected by CF, so the Mauli Ola Foundation introduced Briana to surfing just like it has with more than 1,300 Cystic Fibrosis patients since 2007.
“I’m kind of lucky,” she says. “Because if I didn’t have CF I wouldn’t even be surfing right now.”
My appreciation for this crazy little routine of playing in the ocean will never be the same. We all owe Breana a huge thank you.
To learn more about the Mauli Ola Foundation visit MauliOla.org
