02 Apr 2010 No Comments
Jodie Nelson raises breast cancer awareness with help of Larry the whale
On Saturday March 28th, Jodie Nelson achieved her goal in becoming the first woman to paddle surf the 40 miles from Catalina Island to Dana Point, California, competing in the Ocean Ohana Catalina Challenge. Luckily, Jodie had some company on her 9 hour journey, a 40 foot Minke whale who Nelson named, Larry. Larry swam alongside Jodie for just under 2 hours of her excursion, thus joining her on her cause. ”At one point, he was right next to me. I touched him with my paddle. He would wait for me to get away from the (chase) boat and come right next to me. I thought he was protecting me from something like a great white shark,” Nelson said. “For more than an hour and a half he was right next to me, behind me, underneath me, turning around.”
Nelson, is the co-founder of The SUP Spot, an accomplished surfer, and a highly respected ambassador of the sport. Nelson has a fundraising goal of $100,000 for Keep A Breast Foundation. The cause is particularly close to Nelson’s heart, as both her mother and aunt are breast cancer survivors and one of her closest friends is currently battling breast cancer. Jodie has taken Larry’s presence as a sign from God, she said, “I honestly feel like Larry is going to help us reach the $100,000 mark with our fund-raising effort.”
Keep a Breast Foundation’s mission is to help eliminate breast cancer by educating the younger generation about prevention, early detection, and support. They strive to increase breast cancer awareness among young people so they are better equipped to make smart choices and develop habits that will benefit their long-term health and well being.
Congratulations Jodie! To help Jodie reach her goal, donate to her fundraising page.
