Paddleboard event provides fun, saves lives

The water was ceremonially blessed, the doves were released and then some 1,000 paddleboarders dressed in pink stood up and paddled at Newport Dunes on Saturday.

The stand-up paddleboarders were there to raise awareness about breast cancer and raise money for screenings and treatments.

The fourth annual Stand Up for the Cure benefited the Costa Mesa-based Susan G. Komen Foundation, the group behind the Race for the Cure events.

All proceeds will pay for breast-cancer screening for women in Orange County who are uninsured or underinsured, organizers said.

“One in five in O.C. do not have insurance, so it’s important to note that the money raised here stays here,” said event co-founder Judie Vivian.

Lisa Wolter, executive director of Susan G. Komen Orange County, agreed.

“This day, with the sea of pink, means that money raised will help hundreds of women in Orange County and perhaps save a life,” she said.

Many of the women at the event had survived the disease. Participant Georganna Wadsack talked about how Komen covered the diagnosis portion of her healthcare.

“With Komen, no questions asked. They just do it,” Wadsack said.

Stand Up for the Cure was born five years ago in Maui. Vivian had reluctantly shared with her friend Shawneen Schweitzer that she had breast cancer, prompting the two women, both enthusiasts of stand-up paddleboarding, to do something to raise awareness.

“The event changes men’s and women’s view about breast cancer,” Schweitzer said.

Along with paddleboard instruction, lunch from Ruth’s Chris Steak House and Bear Flag Fish Co., happy hour, live music, a raffle and silent auction, the $35 registration fee included an on-site breast and skin cancer examination.

The new, computerized screening technique known as SureTouch promised a pain- and radiation-free breast exam.

“It feels more like a massage instead of a tooth being pulled,” Vivian said.

Kaiser Permanente sponsored the exams.

“We want as many people as possible to enjoy it and don’t want cost to be a barrier,” national event director Dan Van Dyck said, referring to what he characterized as a modest price of admission. “The expo and sponsors absorb the costs of the event.”

For more information, visit standup-for-the-cure.org.