Healing, Helping Through Surfing
“As I’m getting older, I’m more aware of the journey we’re all on to find greater meaning and purpose in life. I’m very physically active, and one of my greatest joys is seeking outdoor adventures and being challenged while learning new skills,” said Tracey Lankford, a director of Global Sales at Teneo. “I took up surfing after age 50, and there are innumerable things I love about it. One is the ability of the ocean to bring peace and to heal.”
For Tracey, the healing power of the ocean isn’t just personal, it’s a passion she shares with others. As a volunteer with
Ocean Cure, a North Carolina-based nonprofit, she helps individuals with disabilities experience the ocean in ways once thought impossible.
Tracey gets ready for a full day of surfing with Life Rolls On
Coast-to-Coast Impact
As advocates for beach accessibility, Ocean Cure hopes to improve the quality of life for people living with physical and cognitive challenges and disabilities. Often, they’ll partner with Life Rolls On, a California-founded organization created by world champion quadriplegic surfer Jesse Billauer, which hosts adaptive surfing and skating events across the United States all year-long, coast-to-coast.
Ocean Cure and Life Rolls On’s co-sponsored event every August in Carolina Beach, one of the most handicap-accessible boardwalks on the East Coast, draws hundreds of participants and volunteers from around the state just like Tracey.
Riding the Wave of Purpose
Why the ocean? For many, including Tracey, the sea holds a special healing energy. Maybe it’s the rhythm of the waves or the vast horizon, but the ocean can have a profound impact on our mental and emotional well-being. Scientific studies even support what many ocean lovers already know: spending time near, in, or on the water reduces stress and enhances a sense of peace and freedom.
Yet, for too many, that experience remains out of reach. “Accessibility” at the beach is often inconsistent or limited in its scope. Some locations may offer accessible restrooms or parking, but lack beach wheelchairs or safe, stable pathways over the sand. That’s where Ocean Cure makes a real difference — by helping to modify beach infrastructure, organizing adaptive surfing and beach events, and ensuring that individuals of all abilities can enjoy the surf. For both the participants and volunteers, the experience can be deeply empowering.
The sun sets on volunteer day
Tracey Leads with Heart
“After five hours in the ocean as an active swimmer assisting the special-needs surfers, I was blessed to see their exhilaration and pure joy cross their faces in big, broad smiles,” Tracey said. “This heartfelt experience reminds me we are all perfectly imperfect; created in His image to live with love and compassion for every human.”
For Tracey, these volunteer efforts go hand-in-hand with her personal and professional life. Whether she’s closing business deals or hanging loose, she does it all with intention and heart.
Catch a Wave, Change a Life
Visit ocean-cure.org to get involved or support Ocean Cure’s mission to improve the lives of people living with disabilities through adaptive surfing. If you’re outside of North Carolina and would like to participate in a Life Rolls On event, visit liferollson.org/tour to see the schedule of upcoming dates.
Connect with Tracey to learn more about her volunteering, her work with Teneo, or her ongoing journey to find the perfect wave.
Life Rolls On – 2023
