When Mandy McDonnell learned she won a new stand up paddleboard, she knew just what she was going to do with it.

Pay it forward.

The Marketing and Events Director for the John Wayne Cancer Foundation decided she would donate a12-foot SUP ATX board she won in an Orange County Register photo contest – worth about $900 – to the non-profit foundation, to help continue to raise awareness and funds for education and research for cancer.

The winning photo...shot by Eric Harper/One World Imaging and submitted by Mandy McDonnell

Nearly 50 submissions came in, and all captured what this growing culture is all about – there was everything from pups on the boards, to sunset sessions, to some really amazing surf images.

The winning photo shows a group of people all decked out in crazy costumes at a “Paddle for Privates” fund-raiser last October to raise money and awareness for the John Wayne Cancer Foundation.

Steve Mellem, the ATX rep, and myself met up with McDonnell at the Newport Dunes where the event was held recently so she could get her prize. She was blown away at what a great board the prize turned out to be.

“We’re really stoked that SUP ATX helped us out and donated this board and paddle,” she said. “We’re excited to find another opportunity to fundraise with it.”

Mellem’s wife has had breast cancer, and his mother-in-law died after her battle, so he was glad to hear that the prize would be donated to promote the cause.

“I think it’s unbelievable, it couldn’t have worked out better,” he said. “It’s perfect; it’s nice to be a part of it.”

I thought it was so great that McDonnell was willing to donate this great prize, that  in turn I really wanted to do my part to help spread the word about the work the foundation does.

The “Paddle for Privates” event puts a spotlight on “private part cancers” – such as breast, prostate, testicular, ovarian and cervical – with its annual Halloween weekend date between “Breast Cancer Awareness Month” and “Movember” (men’s health charity). The event puts a wacky focus on a serious subject to generate awareness about these “private part” matters, to talk about this stuff and get these issues out in the open, said McDonnell.

“This will hopefully lead to education and motivation to get checkups early and often, which will result in cancer prevention, early detection and higher cure rates,” she said.

The event continues to grow each year, with 130 participants at the last event, up from 80 the year before. The event raised about $6,000.

The John Wayne Cancer Foundation works to fight all types of cancers through funding programs in research, education, awareness and support. The foundation’s mission is to “bring courage, strength and grit to the fight against cancer.”

Team DUKE considers everyone to be an athlete and encourages all athletes from all teams to join Team DUKE as the charity component of their participation in races and creative personal challenges.

They have a fun one going right now called the “Team Vertical Challenge,” where snowboarders or skiers can raise funds based on the vertical feet they ride, with friends donating based on that number. Check out more info here. 

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