One of the many joys of vehicle-based travel is the ability to spend time in the great outdoors, partaking in activities ranging from riding trails to fishing, camping, hiking, and mountain biking. Adventuring outside has become second nature to many of us, and if our health is sound, we often take this ability for granted. For those fighting cancer, this reality can be much different.
Realizing this, the Send It Foundation, a non-profit organization that provides free outdoor adventures for young adult cancer fighters and survivors, has partnered with Backcountry for its second annual SENDtember campaign. The goal: a month-long campaign of “sending it” to honor, celebrate, and support young adult cancer survivors by raising $80,000 throughout September, directly supporting 100 adventure experiences for young adult cancer fighters through 10 outdoor adventure programs in 2022.
Read more about SENDtember in this unedited press release from the Send It Foundation.
Truckee, CA – The Send It Foundation, a non-profit organization built upon the expression, “send it”, provides free outdoor adventures for young adult cancer fighters and survivors and aims to inspire positivity, enthusiasm, pushing boundaries, and living life to the fullest each day.
According to the Send It Foundation, September is called SENDtember, a month-long campaign of “sending it” to honor, celebrate, and support young adult cancer survivors. The goal of SENDtember is to raise $80,000 throughout the month of September, which would directly support 100 adventure experiences for young adult cancer fighters through 10 outdoor adventure programs in 2022. This SENDtember, Backcountry will use its platforms and wide reach to help spread awareness and raise money during the month-long campaign.
“SENDtember is an opportunity for everyone to make a difference in the lives of young adults impacted by cancer by setting a goal, challenge, or intention for the month of September and sending it!” says Executive Director of Send It, Katie Schou. “All funds raised directly support adventure programs for young adult cancer patients. We are proud to partner with our friends at Backcountry and are energized by their commitment to the cause and their support of the Send It mission.”
This year 80,000 adolescents and young adults (AYAs) will be diagnosed with cancer in the US. Because of their age, they are caught between the world of pediatric and adult oncology and are often left with feelings of loneliness and isolation. Since 2015, the Send It Foundation has served over 400 cancer survivors nationwide through adventures such as skiing, surfing, mountain biking, and rock climbing, and the community created through shared experience.
“Backcountry is proud to support this incredible organization,” says Backcountry’s Chief Marketing Officer, Sarah Crockett. “We believe when people can find their happy place, and put every ounce of themselves into it, this send can be life changing and lifesaving. We hope our Backcountry community and the broader outdoor community will come together to help spread awareness for this important mission. It’s always an honor to use our platforms and reach for a larger cause.”
Send It Foundation aims to scale its impact by adding more adventure programs to the yearly calendar. In the past, it has operated 10 annual adventure programs and have set a goal to increase trips at a rate of 30% per year. Through additional funding, increased programming would allow the foundation to serve the growing waitlist, provide greater access to adventure sports, and in turn, more opportunities for self-discovery, healing, and human connection. As Send It’s programming expands, so does the Alumni Leadership program, which then enhances our growth capacity in a sustainable way.
Programs are free for participants and include all transportation, lodging, nourishing meals prepared by our professional chefs, gear and equipment, professional instruction, medical staff on site, and more.
Send It encourages everyone to join SENDtember by getting out to send it, support a fundraiser, or make a donation. Participants will be eligible for prize packages to be awarded following the campaign’s completion.
About Send It Foundation
Send It is an expression that inspires positivity, enthusiasm, and living life to the fullest each day. The Send It Foundation was founded by Jamie Schou, a long-time Tahoe local, when he was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer at the age of 33. For Jamie, “someday” became “today,” and with every break in treatment, he skied, biked, paddled, and hit the local trails of the Sierras – keeping him happy, positive, and fighting hard for his amazing life. Jamie’s vision was to bring the pursuits that brought him joy and strength during a time of great adversity to other young adults impacted by cancer, inspiring them to send it no matter what. Jamie also recognized the gap in resources and programs available for cancer patients his age and sought to create a community for those in need. In 2014, the last year of his life, he formed the Send It Foundation, a non-profit organization to do just that.
To learn more about the Send It Foundation and its adventure programs visit senditfoundation.org. Follow all organization updates on Instagram (@senditfoundation), Facebook (@senditfoundation) and Twitter (@senditfndation).
About Backcountry
From the one-on-one expertise of our Gearheads to our epic selection of the best in both style and performance, Backcountry has been a leading outdoor retailer since 1996. Dialing in your gear closet, exploring your backcountry, recharging with après—Backcountry elevates the entire outdoor experience. In 2018, Backcountry began building its own Gearhead-inspired products; the fast-growing Built By Backcountry ski, MTB, climb, hike, fly fish, and après lines include collabs with brands like GORE-TEX Technology, Burton, and Simms. Seek it, find it, send it—the Goat takes you further.
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