The Mission

The Mission of SUP4C & Athletes for Cancer

SUP 4 Cancer is an event of Athletes for Cancer, which harnesses the healing power of the elements with the tenacity of the human spirit to benefit those affected by cancer through funding of advocacy, prevention, and survivorship programs.

What We Do

We fund programs that focus on the health and living aspect of this disease –  prevention, awareness, and survivorship for those with cancer. In 2011 we started hosting our own SUP, Surf, and Snow survivorship camps for young adults with cancer. These camps aim to foster self-confidence and strengthen survivorship through outdoor adventure and ocean healing. Read the report from one of our survivorship camps here.  Or, watch our video.

It began from our personal experiences with cancer.

Professional kiteboarding instructor and SUP enthusiast Tonia Farman, watched her brother, Scott, battle Leukemia for a year before he passed away in June 2007. For those 13 months, Scott braved chemotherapy, radiation, and clinical study tests that no human being should ever have to endure. Watching this, Tonia felt helpless, but knew she had to do something.

Meanwhile, a friend and pediatric surgeon, Garret Zallen, experienced cancer on a nearly daily basis at Doernbecher Children’s Hospital in Portland, Oregon. Watching this awful disease take so much from a person, friends, and family, and recognizing that cancer is a common thread that unites our community, the two set out together to convert the feelings of helplessness into utilizing the passion, energy, and vitality in the sport we love – kiteboarding — to do something good.

The result was Kiteboarding 4 Cancer (KB4C), which has since evolved to Athletes for Cancer, a non-profit designed to sponsor action sport  fundraising events that donate proceeds to partnering cancer charities.

In KB4C’s first event on August 25th, 2007, kiteboarders raised pledge money for one of KB4C’s partnering cancer research organizations, then competed in an 8-hour endurance kiteboarding race on the Columbia River. As many from the surf, windsurf, and paddling community attended the event, we quickly decided our next event would be SUP 4 Cancer! So in 2009 SUP 4 Cancer was born!

SUP 4 Cancer is run in conjunction with Athletes for Cancer (formerly Kiteboarding 4 Cancer) which is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization, IRS tax ID #42-1737854. We fund our event and charities solely through tax-deductible contributions from private individuals, corporations and foundations. Please join us in the fight against cancer!!

KB4C and SUP4C is in memory of Scott Farman, as well as the many otherwise active and healthy individuals who fought cancer and are no longer with us.