First Descents

First Descents (FD) is a charitable non-profit organization. First Descents provides outdoor adventures for young adults (age 18-39) impacted by cancer and other serious health conditions.[5] Brad Ludden, a professional kayaker, founded First Descents in 2001 at age 20.[6]

First Descents
Founded2001
FounderBrad Ludden
TypePublic charity non-profit organization
FocusYoung adult cancer
Outdoor adventure sports[1]
Location
Area served
United States, Costa Rica, Peru, Vietnam, Patagonia, and Bali[2]
ProductOutdoor adventures for cancer fighters
Key people
Ryan O'Donoghue, Executive Director
Revenue
$1,906,780 (2012)[3]
Employees
11-50[1]
WebsiteFirstDescents.org
Brad Ludden on the 4,000 Islands section of the Mekong river in Laos
As a child growing up in Kalispell, Mont., Brad Ludden waited all year for summer. That's when his beloved aunt Lori flew up from Phoenix to join his family in kayaking expeditions and on camping trips at nearby Glacier National Park. But those carefree days suddenly came to a halt when Lori was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 38. She underwent a double mastectomy and multiple rounds of chemotherapy, while Brad, then 12, and his family watched in disbelief. . . . Inspired by his aunt's successful battle, in 2001 Ludden launched First Descents, a nonprofit that provides a free, weeklong outdoor adventure for small groups of young adults fighting cancer.

— People magazine
June 27, 2011[4]

Headquartered in Denver, Colorado, FD is a leader in adventure-based healing. During its 20-year history, First Descents has served nearly 10,000 young adult survivors at over 1,000 programs nationwide.[7] Furthermore, FD has established relationships with more than 450 medical centers nationwide to effectively reach patients closer to the time of diagnosis. Beginning in 2020, FD expanded programming to serve healthcare professionals on the frontlines of COVID-19.[8]

"The program, designed for those 18 or older, offers participants a chance to share what they are going through and then tackle another scary obstacle — running rapids in a kayak," the New York Times wrote about First Descents.[9]

A Guidestar Platinum-ranked nonprofit, First Descents has been recognized by CNN Heroes[10] and Outside magazine’s Best Places to Work.[11]

How it works

FD provides all-inclusive,[9] week-long and multi-day programs nationwide. These low cost, non-clinical programs include a range of activities designed to instill healthy lifestyle habits, cultivate social connection, and empower patients, caregivers, and healthcare workers. Ultimately, exposure to unforgettable outdoor challenges pushes participants’ limits and initiates an organic healing process, thus allowing them to reconnect with their bodies, establish supportive peer communities, and regain self-efficacy.[8] Programs offer a variety of adventure sports including climbing, paddling, and surfing.[12]

Brad Ludden, Founder
Main article: Brad Ludden

First Descents founder and professional whitewater kayaker Brad Ludden saw how young adults lack support in the cancer world when he was 12 and his aunt was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 38. An accomplished kayaker, Ludden decided to volunteer at a local pediatric oncology program by teaching kayaking.[9] In 2001 he started First Descents.  

"I wanted to recreate the experience of a ‘first descent,’ that had so greatly impacted my life, for people like my aunt who really needed it," he says in his staff bio on the First Descents website.[13]

In 2016 Ludden won a CNN hero award for his work with First Descents.[10]

"It was on that stage and in that moment that I realized two things: 1) adventure can and does heal, and 2) young adults with cancer and other serious health conditions are no longer forgotten," he wrote.[14]

Participation

In 2011, First Descents offered 27 outdoor programs. Two hundred eighty-three people participated. In 2012, the number of outdoor programs grew to 45. The number of participants grew to 515.[3]

In 2013, First Descents ran programs in 12 states and 3 countries. Over 515 cancer patients participated in 2012. The current wait list is 1,000 people.[15]

Out Living It documentary

First Descents founder Brad Ludden approached a filmmaker named Michael Brown,[lower-alpha 1] a three-time Emmy award winner and friend of Ludden's who specialized in documenting outdoor expeditions. After hearing about Ludden's organization, Brown agreed to direct a documentary about Ludden's adventure experiences with cancer survivors.[17]

First Descents launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund the documentary, and by April 2012 raised $21,507 from 142 people.[18]

For one week, Ludden and 14 other young adult cancer survivors spend a week together in the outdoors. They go on physical adventures including kayaking through white water rapids and rock climbing. Brown filmed the adventures and interviewed the participants. In the video trailer, during a clip of a rock climbing scene, one man can be heard saying, "Trust is a great thing to have. Especially among people who have similar problems."[19]

The film was released on April 14, 2012.[16]

Notes
  1. Director Michael Brown has personally completed over 50 expeditions covering all seven continents, filming all of them. He is the founder of a filmmaking school called Outside Adventure Film School.[16]

References
  1. "First Descents - LinkedIn". LinkedIn. Retrieved 21 August 2014.
  2. "Programs - First Descents". First Descents. Retrieved 21 August 2014.
  3. "2012 Year in Review" (PDF). First Descents. Denver, Colorado. 2012. Retrieved 21 August 2014.
  4. Benet, Lorenzo (27 June 2011). "A Journey in Healing". People (Volume 75, Number 25). Retrieved 21 August 2014.
  5. "Outdoor Adventure for Cancer Fighters - FIRST DESCENTS.ORG". First Descents. Retrieved 21 August 2014.
  6. Badenhausen, Kurt (19 October 2011). "First Descents: Cancer Camp For Young Adults". Forbes. Retrieved 21 August 2014.
  7. "First Descents Launches Adventures for Frontline Health Care Workers". 5280. 2020-05-19. Retrieved 2020-11-13.
  8. "First Descents - Guidestar". www.guidestar.org. Retrieved 2020-11-13.
  9. "Running Rapids in the Fight Against Cancer". The New York Times. 19 August 2007. Retrieved 21 August 2014.
  10. Meghan Dunn. "Outdoor adventure empowers young cancer patients". CNN. Retrieved 2020-11-13.
  11. Bibber, Ryan Van (2020-11-03). "The 50 Best Places to Work in 2020". Outside Online. Retrieved 2020-11-13.
  12. Flowers, Lisa A. (2018-03-08). "First Descents". Boulder Weekly. Retrieved 2020-11-13.
  13. "Staff". First Descents. Retrieved 2020-11-13.
  14. Lewis, Chelsey. "First Descents is like cancer camp for young adults, taking survivors on free climbing, kayaking and surfing trips". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved 2020-11-13.
  15. "Key Numbers & Annual Reports - First Descents". First Descents. Retrieved 21 August 2014.
  16. "Out Living It (2012) - IMDb". IMDb. Retrieved 21 August 2014.
  17. "Remarks by Michael Brown in Kickstarter introductory video". Kickstarter. 20 April 2012. Retrieved 19 August 2014. When I found out about my friend Brad Ludden's organization, and that he was bringing cancer survivors into the wilderness for wilderness therapy in a setting where diagnosis didn't matter--chemotherapy wasn't the main topic of conversation--and since that time, we've been working on this film. So much has gone so well.
  18. McKee, Kim (20 April 2012). ""Out Living It" by Kim McKee". Kickstarter. Retrieved 19 August 2014.
  19. "Out Living It Documentary - First Descents". First Descents. Retrieved 21 August 2014.

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