Cancer-Survivor Plans SUP "Karmathon"

BEND, Oregon - At dawn on September 21st, Judy Shasek will stand up on a board in the Deschutes River in Bend, Oregon. She will paddle from the spillway to the rapids just upstream of Bill Healy Memorial Bridge and back. To celebrate her 10th anniversary of being cancer-free, Shasek aims to complete this circuit 10 times before the day is done.

Shasek, who is 61, calls her endeavor a "karmathon" and has invited the community to participate. "If you would like to remember a special person, celebrate a life, send forward a prayer or otherwise recognize someone in your life who's gone through a struggle or is in the midst of one, write his or her name on a ribbon and I will wear it on the day of my paddle," she says. Shasek expects to complete her roughly 33-mile journey at about 4:00p.m. Supporters are welcome to cheer her on along the way or gather at the end to celebrate.

A lover of the outdoors, Shasek celebrated her 5th anniversary as a cancer survivor by completing a 100-mile Livestrong bicycle ride in Portland, OR. About her plans this year, Shasek says she is looking forward to "setting out on the beautiful waters of the Deschutes right here in Bend - my home town. There is nothing quite like the moving meditation of doing some sort of physical activity outside- enjoying all that nature and life have to offer."

Ribbons for Shasek to wear are available at Stand Up Paddle Bend, 550 SW Industrial Way, #115, Bend, OR 97702. People who live at a distance from the shop are welcome to send ribbons in. Call 541.639.2655 or email [email protected] for further information.Watch video from news headlines on Shasek's Karmathon .Also, amek sure to visit www.StandUpPaddleFlatwater.com for more on Shasek's Karmathon.