The Crossing for Cystic Fibrosis is more than just a race— it’s a powerful, purpose-driven event that unites a global community of paddle enthusiasts, all challenging themselves for the greater good of others.
Now in its ninth year, the 80-mile sea trek that begins in Bimini, Bahamas and concludes in Florida at Lake Worth Beach is set for June 19-22, when more than 100 participants will paddle for a cause so much greater than the race itself: raising funds and awareness for cystic fibrosis.
The first Crossing for Cystic Fibrosis was in 2013, launched by Jupiter Farms resident Travis Suit to raise money and awareness for the illness that affects his now-17-year-old daughter, Piper. When she was just 4 years old, Piper was diagnosed with CF, a rare and progressive genetic condition that primarily affects the lungs and digestive system. “It was dream-shattering and life-changing,” Suit recalls of receiving the diagnosis. “But over time, it transformed into a deeper purpose.”
That purpose was the Piper’s Angels Foundation, a grassroots organization Suit started to help individuals with CF and their families through financial assistance, peer-to-peer support, mental health coaching, and more.
When Suit learned from a respiratory therapist that surfers in Australia suffering from CF were showing much better checkup results—apparently the result of salt or saline improving lung airway clearance—it sparked hope. “Hearing this news was a miracle,” Suit says. “There was a natural, therapeutic environment to help Piper heal and stay healthy, and it was the ocean.” He began taking Piper on paddleboarding excursions, which eventually led to his idea for The Crossing. Says Suit: “I wanted to do something that would get people’s attention and put CF and its warriors in the spotlight so the world would see what I saw—love and life persisting, even through the darkest of nights.”
Since its inception, The Crossing for Cystic Fibrosis has raised more than
$3.1 million for Piper’s Angels, impacting hundreds of families affected by CF (including some overseas, through the organization’s Angels Abroad program).
Paddlers train hard for the annual event, dedicating months preparing for the 15-hour paddle through cross-training, strength-building, and ocean paddling sessions to familiarize themselves with the unpredictable conditions of the Gulf Stream. “Conditions can change in an instant—from flat and calm to intense wind and currents,” says Suit. Boats accompany the paddlers, providing support, staff, and supplies along the way.
As Suit stands on his board powering through the taxing journey each year, he thinks about his daughter and others suffering from the effects of CF and perseveres. “Paddling through the night in complete darkness, with only the distant lights of Florida ahead, can be both mentally and physically exhausting,” he says. “Fatigue sets in, and you may be faced with pushing through extreme pain or seasickness—but the motivation to keep going comes from the community and the CF warriors we’re paddling for.”
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