I recently returned from my second camp. Cancer is many things but two things that come to mind are that it is limiting and it is a betrayal. I face physical limitations, such as fatigue and poor balance, that limit my world compared to before being diagnosed. Others may have lost their fertility, limbs or bear other physical and emotional scars. Beyond that, cancer is a betrayal; our body is literally killing itself and acts in ways that defy sense. First Descents is the anti-dote to all of this. While there are many things I can't do compared to my pre-cancer self, one thing I can do is kayak. And to learn something that requires physical exertion and balance, has given me a newfound confidence that is difficult to explain. While my physicians prevented me from dying (for which I am incredibly grateful), FD helped teach me how to live.