Welcome back to our twelfth consecutive year of Kayaking for Cancer!

Earlier this summer I thought that I'd be kayaking for donations that would help my father when he went to the cancer treatment centre. Now, 4 months after his diagnosis, I find myself, my brothers, and my best friend kayaking in honour of my deceased father.

I lost my dad to cancer on July 5th 2012. My mother lost her best friend and husband, while my brothers and I lost our role model and our father. All of us feel the void now that he's gone and our lives will never be the same.

So far on this trip kayaking has been a source of healing. It's not just the rhythmic paddling that soothes the ache of losing a loved one. It's knowing that every stroke of your paddle is for them. Every time my kayak glides forward in the water it moves forward in memory of my father.

Above all it's comforting knowing that everyone else is kayaking for the same reason. The people here can understand what I've gone through while my dad was sick and what I'm going through now that he's gone
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I'm only a few days into this trip and it has already been such an amazing experience. One thing is for sure, Kayaking for Cancer hasn't seen the last of me.

Cheers Dad,

Chelsea Gray