Catalina Classic fights cancer with paddleboards

Deirdre Newman

Paddling 32 miles on your knees and stomach is a grueling test of

endurance and perseverance.

For 11 people participating in the Catalina Classic on Sunday, the

paddleboard race is not just a physical challenge but a way to honor

a Newport Beach woman who valiantly fought cancer for 10 years.

The 11 paddlers are part of the Ocean of Hope Campaign, which

raises awareness and funds for those who suffer from synovial

sarcoma, the rare form of cancer that took the life of Suzanne Leider

last year at age 35.

Leider was an inspiration to those who had the privilege of

knowing her, Ocean of Hope Chairwoman Mark Schulein said.

“She was probably the most inspirational person I ever met,” said

Schulein, a Newport Beach resident. “She had cancer for 10 years, but

you never saw her without a smile.”

After being diagnosed with the sarcoma, Leider, a nurse, was

frustrated at the lack of information for laypeople about the

disease, Schulein said.

So she gathered some of her fellow nurses and friends and created

a clearinghouse for information for the public. Today, the Sarcoma

Alliance is at the vanguard of support, education and guidance for

those with the disease.

“It’s not research,” Schulein said. “It’s information for

patients, families and caregivers. It’s really a testament to what

[Leider] could do, all while fighting it herself.”

In 1999, Leider and friend Keith Munemitsu created the Ocean of

Hope Campaign to promote the alliance and raise funds for it. They

decided to use the Catalina Classic for fund-raising because it is

one of the premier paddleboard races in the country.

Schulein, 34, who has logged more than 400 miles of training in

the last three months, said dealing with the elements in the race is

one of the most challenging aspects.

“If you run a marathon, you always know the road is in front of

you,” Schulein said. “With paddle boarding, the road can be hitting

you in the head or washing over you. It’s a big variable.”

Jack Hamilton, 26, another Newport Beach resident participating in

the race, said the toll the race takes on the paddle boarders’ bodies

is trivial compared to what Leider and others go though.

“When we get tired and feel sore, I think about Suzie and all the

pain and suffering she and others go through, so paddling for eight

hours isn’t such a big deal,” Hamilton said.

This is the first year Schulein has chaired the Ocean of Hope

Campaign. He focused on recruiting new team members, resulting in

team participation increasing from four to 11, with paddlers outside

of Orange County joining the team for the first time.

On average, the race raises about $35,000 to $45,000 for the

alliance, which goes toward support groups in San Francisco and Los

Angeles for sarcoma patients and toward finding people necessary to

run the alliance, Schulein said.

* DEIRDRE NEWMAN covers Costa Mesa and may be reached at (949)

574-4221 or by e-mail at deirdre.newman@latimes.com.