Adventure Therapy

April-May 2002

This is an article from WaveLength Magazine, available in print in North America and globally on the web.
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by Colin MacNeil

How a group of young paddlers became a 'family' on Haida Gwaii.

Daralyn is sixteen years old but in her sixteen years she has experienced physical, emotional and psychological challenges beyond most of us. She is now two years in cancer remission.

We're paddling on the spectacular east coast of Lyall Island in Haida Gwaii (the Queen Charlotte Islands). This is her first kayaking trip. She's a natural, a guide's dream. She loves it, she's strong, vibrant. In wonderful rythmn we paddle effortlessly, silently. I look over. She looks at me, smiles and says, "You know, two years ago I couldn't even walk". Then she plunges her paddle into the sea and moves on.

I had the good fortune to be offered a very special kayaking experience last summer. I was asked if I would be interested in running an expedition for ten teenagers in cancer remission and recovery.

The Tip of the Toes Foundation, based out of the Université du Quebec in Chicoutimi, has been running adventure therapy expeditions for such youth since 1996. I have been guiding kayak trips for 15 years and working with teenagers for 30, so after approximately two and half seconds of thought I knew this was a perfect fit, a unique opportunity and jumped at the offer.

The first hurdle was permission to run such a trip with a group of nineteen. After some negotiation, both Parks Canada and the Sea Kayak Guides Alliance of British Columbia gave the go ahead as long as regu lar industry safety standards could be met. The group would consist of the ten teenagers, a medical team of four, four guides and Annick Dufresne, managing director of the Foundation. Participants were selected through various oncology departments from Children's Hospitals across Canada, both English and French.

It requires tremendous funding and organization for an expedition of this magnitude to be the safe, rewarding experience we were all so determined to provide for this extraordinary group of kayakers. I have run kayak trips in the Queen Charlottes for twelve years and did not hesitate to call upon my support systems for help-the Seaport Bed and Breakfast for lodging and Moresby Explorers for logistical support. Both were immediately behind the project, working at cost and providing invaluable assistance.

This was to be the first expedition the foundation had run in Western Canada. Haida Gwaii was the perfect choice. The south island, Gwaii Haanas (Moresby Island) is a healing place, an environment so rich in life you absorb its energy simply by being there. And being there, you become an integral part of that ecosystem, no less, no more important than all the life surrounding you. It is both a humbling and empowering experience.

As kayakers, we all know, each in our own way, the therapeutic value of paddling in such rich, remote environments. Would these kids, with their history, their special needs, have that experience? Could they handle the physical stress, the emotional demands, the new people, cultures, food and many unknowns? None had ever met each other, never kayaked, camped, flown on a plane or been away from their families. Three were still on chemo-therapy, one was a diabetic and one had lost her leg to cancer. They had all been stigmatized, lost self esteem and physical abilities. Could we begin to give it back?

It didn't take long before the answers to these questions became apparent. Once the whole group had arrived, it was clear that positive energy and excitement were the dominant emotions. We had one day in town to meet each other, go over the maps, the goals, the clothing lists and make final preparations. We had our first feast of venison and crab, generously provided by the bed and breakfast.

We all know that 6 a.m. is not a teenagers' teenagers' favorite time of day, but it was now Day One, and time to set out on our journey. The weather had been cool, grey and wet for over a month, but on that morning the sun was shining and warm in a clear blue sky. It stayed that way for seven days-truly a blessing. Whatever fear or apprehension the kids might have had that morning was not evident as we loaded mountains of food and gear and set off.

Group dynamics are always a major factor in the quality of a trip, and never more so with a group this size brought together by such extraodinary circumstances. Obvious from the start was the common bond-caring for each other.

On our first exploratory paddle to assess strengths and capabilities, we stopped for lunch on a beautiful beach. This site has a stream running down to the sea through spectacular old growth cedar forest. A short hike in the forest by the stream brings you to a waterfall that the kids enjoyed immensely, snapping photos, clamouring up the falls, in short-feeling free. One of the girls, Analyn, had lost a leg to cancer and had a prosthesis. She was not to be deterred on this hike, determined to have her photo taken at the base of the falls, to share in the experience. Adults and teens alike helped make this possible, as she scrambled along the trail-up, down, over and under. It was a magical experience and I understood, at that moment, that the group dynamics would be a very positive force for the next week.

Beach games added to the fun and friendship of the group.

On this hike, someone asked Analyn if she needed a hand. Not missing a beat, she replied, "No-I need a leg!"

Humour would provide positive energy all week long.

For years, our welcome at the Haida village sites has been a special part of the trips. This was certainly so that week. The Haida Watchmen who staff the sites could not have been more generous with their time and interest in these young paddlers. The group was allowed extended hours at Hot Springs and feasted on halibut and other goodies baked by the Haida elders. They were taught how to weave with spruce roots and cedar bark. Equally generous were the Watchmen at Windy Bay and Tanu, intro- ducing our group to traditional foods and a culture that has existed in Haida Gwaii for some ten thousand years.

Each day brought new adventures, new challenges. Never will you have a large group with equal paddling ability. On this expedition we had six doubles, six singles and a small zodiac support vessel. Rotating the group between singles and doubles, trying to find the perfect combination (impossible) was the subject of nightly guide meetings. Try as we might, for any number of reasons, it seemed one of the kids would struggle each day. But instead of complaining or getting discouraged, it only seemed to strengthen their resolve to push through the fatigue, aches or pain. At no time in the week did anyone choose to ride in the zodiac.

One of the boys, Alexandre, who, as a result of his cancer has a permanent leg disability, put it this way: "The thing that was hardest for me in my sickness was to learn that I could no longer play sports. So when I first got into my kayak and started to paddle I felt a passion for the sport. I could feel my muscles working, and even when I was tired I kept going because I loved the feeling it gave me. Also, the expedition made me realize something-despite my disability I can still push myself beyond the limits I thought were there. That gave me a lot of self confidence."

We paddled through caves, we paddled on moonlit evenings, we witnessed the remarkable marine and intertidal life of Gwaii Haanas. We played on the beaches, slept in the forest, soaked in the hot springs. We spoke English and French, we laughed, we cried, we supported each other. It was more than just a holiday or memory, it was a healing time, a time of renewal, of growth, a celebration of life. It was adventure. It was therapy.

As Analyn says, "When we were together, we weren't kids with cancer, we were just us. Plus we could talk about our disease so openly. Share, laugh, and even cry about what we'd been through. It's not often people like us get that chance. It's not often that we get opportunities to show our strength in something other than fighting our disease."

If you wish to learn more about the Tip-of-the- Toes Foundation, or help support future projects, contact: Annick Dufresne 555, boul. Universite Pavilion des Humanites Chicoutimi, Quebec G7H 2B1. www.tip-of-toes.com E-mail: info@pointe-des-pieds.com