008. Experience the Healing Power of Adventure with Brad Ludden #outlivingit

What if if I told you a kayaker from Montana decided he would try and alleviate the struggles that come with having cancer as a young adult by putting them in a kayak and sending them down class four white-water?

Crazy Right?

Spoiler Alert, it worked!

in 2016, Brad Ludden won the CNN Hero Award for his efforts.

Almost 70,000 young adults are diagnosed with cancer each year.  It is the fastest growing and most under-served demographic of those diagnosed with cancer each year.

At thirteen years old, Brad Ludden decided to make it his mission, from the inspiration of his Aunt who was diagnosed when he was just eleven years old, to combine his love of kayaking and his calling to help young adults impacted by cancer.  That is when the idea of First Descents was born.

In this episode you will discover what a “First Descent” is and what it means to those who have participated in their program.

Find out how the river can heal by its unwillingness to stop for anyone.  Regardless of your health, wealth, gender, or color, the river teaches you humility and creates an environment that fosters introspection and lifelong connections with those who you experience it with.

Brad takes us through his journey as a professional kayaker to the early days of First Descents and how it has grown from his first event with 15 survivors to serving over 1300 young adults in 2018.

We discuss how adventures like these can serve everyone in a world full of technology and distraction as well as lessons Brad has learned in building a business without taking a college class.

This episode truly has something for everyone.  Let me know what your biggest takeaway was!

Follow everything Brad Ludden and First Descents!

@firstdescents

www.firstdescents.org and don't miss the hype video! Here!

Check out Brad's CNN Hero video here!

Discover why Brad's favorite book is:

Lonesome Dove:  A Novel   By Larry McMurtry

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instagram @dylan_stagefour2onstage

Facebook  @stagefour2onstage

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Thanks again to Michael McClean for the music in the podcast as well as Josh Goerdt for the logo design!