Matt Fulton

I’ve been given the opportunity to take on the adventure of a lifetime: tackling 120-ish miles of Kayaking & Cycling in the Florida Keys. All to support Survivors in making their Epic comeback stories.

Project Athena is an incredible nonprofit that helps survivors of medical or traumatic setbacks live out an adventurous dream as part of their recovery. Each Athena and Zeus (survivors) is gifted a fully funded, multi-day expedition through the financial support of Gods and Goddess (fundraisers like me!).

"Pain is mandatory; Suffering is optional". Those were the words I heard from Robyn Benincasa during a keynote speech some years ago at a veterinary conference. It resonated with me and the following fall I found my on this 120(ish) mile adventure supporting great people and making new friends. This year, I found a similar version of that phrase from the Buddhist tradition - "Pain is certain, what you do with that pain is what matters." So maybe I can make a difference, a positive one, for someone else and their pain. This will be my third Keys to Recovery adventure and I'm coming into this journey with brand new knees. I could not think of a better way to celebrate new knees and mark the success of my surgical recovery than by supporting others who have gone through so much more than I on this fantastic adventure.

I’ve committed to raising $4,500 to support this journey. Your donation will help cover the cost of the adventure for survivors and allow Project Athena to continue making these powerful experiences possible.

Please consider supporting me, so more survivors can discover just how strong they still are.