SURFLINE: Paddle for Daisy
If you happened to be watching any of the online heats for the Nike U.S. Open of Surfing last week, you probably saw eventual women’s champion/ Cinderella story Lakey Peterson’s web short, where she repeatedly and wholeheartedly plugged “Pray For Daisy” all the way to the victory podium.
The granddaughter of boardbuilding icon Al Merrick, the daughter of Britt Merrick, Daisy Love Merrick is fighting the battle of her life against cancer.
At only eight years old, she has received six surgeries, 22 rounds of chemotherapy and two courses of radiation. After insurance, treatments and travel will total half a million dollars.
Naturally, surfers around the world are rallying to support the brave young girl, including professional ambassadors Courtney Conlogue, Bethany Hamilton, Tom Curren, Rob Machado, CJ and Damien Hobgood, Will Tant, Sage Erickson, Nate Yeomans, Matt Pagan, Matt Beacham and Lakey Peterson.
Christian Surfers United States National Director Dean Plumlee sent word that Daisy Merrick left today for Israel for a stem cell transplant.
Meanwhile, at 9:00am on September 1st, a series of Paddle For Daisy events will go down simultaneously all over the country: the West and East coasts, Hawaii, the Midwest and the Gulf Coast. New locations are springing up daily. In fact, just yesterday 2001 ASP World Champion CJ Hobgood, no stranger to philanthropic causes himself, signed on to lead a Paddle For Daisy at his upcoming Camp Hobgood in Avon, NC.
To find dates and out how you yourself can contribute, please visit www.PaddleForDaisy.com. All donations are tax deductible through Christian Surfers.