Hanging Ten and Wipe Outs Are Good Medicine With Mauli Ola

      By the looks on their faces, surfing fans and beachgoers can't tell who is having more fun -- the pro surfers in the water or the grommets they're teaching.  Big-name surfers with big hearts, including Kelly Slater, Michael Ho, Bruce Irons, Andy Irons, Sunny Garcia, Kala Alexander, Makua Rothman, Keali'i Mamala, Kainoa McGee, Kalani Robb, Hans Hagen, Shawn "Barney" Barron, Buttons Kaluhiokalani, Gavin Beschen, Nissen Osterneck, Morgan Faulkner, and many other surf professionals participated in Mauli Ola Foundation's first annual Cystic Fibrosis Surf Experience Day Tour at 20 beaches around the country, teaching children with genetic diseases the benefits of natural saline therapies through surfing.  During a Surf Experience Day, CF patients learn how to position themselves on a surfboard, paddle out, read the water, and catch a wave.  In turn, the children experience an epic ride and breathe deeply -- many for the first time in much of their lives -- without the help of their daily lung therapy machines and medicines.

Buttons Kaluhiokalani, Kala Alexander and Sunny Garcia with patients.

            Surfing can be a natural treatment for cystic fibrosis, a life-threatening genetic condition that impairs lung function.  Mauli Ola, which means "breath of life" in Hawaiian, gets young people with CF in the ocean, where hyper-tonic saline -- an elevated-saline environment just above the water's surface -- breaks down persistent mucus in their lungs. Congestion plagues the lungs of a CF patient, resulting in recurrent infections and requiring frequent hospital stays, daily therapies, many medications, and taking enzymes to aid digestion. Such regular salt-water treatments can reduce hospital stays and lead to more a fulfilling life.  

            "I thought surfing appropriate for the healthiest of my patients, but the most profoundly affected were two of the most severely ill," says Dr. Mark Pian, an avid surfer and pediatric pulmonologist who runs the CF Program at Rady Children's Hospital in San Diego.  "The patients' ability to participate at all is a testament to the skill and dedication of the surfers."  Pian participated in Mauli Ola's CF Surf Experience Day in Waikiki in May and walked with families of CF patients in the Great Strides for Cystic Fibrosis Walk at Kapiolani Park the next day.

            Surfing champions share more than their moves.  They give a piece of themselves while building confidence in those they're teaching. "Being a part of this Mauli Ola family and helping so many kids and their families has helped me truly appreciate my friends, my family, and life in general, so much more," says Kala Alexander.  Pros hanging ten to improve the lives of those living with chronic conditions earned Mauli Ola the 2010 Surfers Poll Agent of Change Award.

            Mauli Ola Foundation was founded in 2008 by surf-enthusiast brothers James and Charles Dunlop.  Charles heads Ambry Genetics, a creator of genetics testing and a leader in cystic fibrosis research.  Ambry is Mauli Ola's largest financial supporter and was the primary sponsor for MOF's first CF Surf Experience Day Tour.  Flexfit apparel also supported the tour.

            An O'ahu mom, Sharsti Jones Rodriquez, says her 9-year-old son's medical check-ups early this year were the best he's ever had, crediting the work of Mauli Ola to encourage her boy's interest in the ocean. "Although there were some slight crackles in Erik's lungs, everything was great. Erik's pulmonary function tests were the best he's ever had. His weight has gone up and, all in all, he's a picture of health," she said, stoked that the doctor congratulated the family about Eric's improved health. "His doctor even said to keep up the surfing. It really works!"

            Since its inception three years ago, Mauli Ola Foundation has provided instruction for more than 400 children. The first annual tour ripped along California's coastline -- from San Onofre, Santa Cruz, Redondo Beach, North San Diego, Santa Monica, Laguna Beach, to Mission Beach.  Before heading East, the Surfers for Cystic Fibrosis Third Annual Golf Tournament provided athletes another way to participate.  Surfers took teachings to tamer waters of Galveston and Port Aransas, Texas, and up the Atlantic coast from Pompano Beach and Cocoa Beach, Florida, to Charleston, South Carolina; Wrightsville, North Carolina; Virginia Beach, Virginia; Ocean City, Maryland; to Montouk, New York. The tour paddled back to Hawai'i's calm shore of Waikiki before inspiring youngsters a few days later with the culminating backdrop of North Shore's winter swells at Hale'Iwa on December 12.  In addition to surfing with young patients, Mauli Ola's pros visited more than 600 patients in hospitals, including inland cities like Columbus, Ohio; Kansas City, and Denver, Colorado.

            Land-locked participants weren't left out.  CFvoice.com, an online CF community, offered a lucky person with a creative "pseudo-surfing" video entry a trip to San Diego to join a Surf Experience Day.  Some entrants tried surfing bicycles, couches, and tables for a chance to win.  Justin, a 20-year-old from South Carolina, won the mock-surfing contest with his video attempt of surfing his kayak in a South Carolina river.  His wipe out landed him a wild ride with new gnarly surfer friends during a Southern California summer swell.

            "A day didn't go by out of 26 that we didn't either hold a surf event or visit a hospital," said James Dunlop, MOF chairman and president.   "We are also considering visiting countries such as Australia and Japan in the near future."

            While traveling across the mainland, a tour bus eliminated the need for hotel rooms, provided a place to stack surfboards, and allowed the team to travel at night while catching zzzs.  Mauli Ola is wasting no time preparing for the next tour, which starts in May 2011.  Kalani Robb is recruiting surf pros stoked about jumping on their boards to help kids.

            "We love this organization.  We've finally found something ?good' about having CF," said a Newport Beach participant's parent.

           To learn more about Mauli Ola Foundation or to sponsor a young person's Surf Experience Day, go to www.mauliola.org.

Mauli Ola Legends among volunteers (From Left to Right) Sunny Garcia, Dr. Paskowitz, Mick O'Brien, Carlton Hanley, Michael Ho, Donald Takayama, Kala Alexander, Buttons Kaluhiokalani, Ivan Harada and Ben Aipa.

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Mauli Ola wins 2010 Surfer Poll Award

Mauli Ola Foundation received the Agent of Change Award for the 2010 Surfer Poll.  The award is selected by professional surfers and industry leaders who consider non-profit surfing organizations that benefit humanitarian or

environmental causes, explained James Dunlop, Mauli Ola's chairman and president. James and his co-founder brother, Charles Dunlop of Ambry Genetics, MOF's largest financial supporter, accepted the award December 6 during the 40^th annual ceremony on North Shore O'ahu's Turtle Bay Resort. 

            The $20,000 award will be used to continue Mauli Ola's program that helps children with genetic disorders, such as cystic fibrosis, learn the benefits of natural a saline therapy that helps break life-threathening mucus in their lungs, allowing them to breath deeper, learn and love surfing, and improve their health.

            Since it was founded in 2008, Mauli Ola Foundation has been honored by the Surf Industry Manufacturers Association with a Humanitarian Grant, and by Disney, Variety, and Project Save Our Surf.