 This is Dennis McMahon and welcome to Positively Vermont and today we are going to be speaking with Suzanne Snyder Johnson of a very interesting organization called sale beyond cancer Which is a program Providing a unique water aspect experience for the entire family So thank you so much Dennis. Thank you for having me on a on the show. It's really an honor to be here, so So so sale beyond cancer actually was started this year in February 2020 after I had Started and ran another nonprofit by the name of healing winds Vermont for about six and a half years so I I decided to go off on our own and I Provide a similar service and So what we do Dennis is I went through cancer about 10 years ago right here in Burlington breast cancer I was completely bald so I went through the whole works. I grew up sailing on Lake on Long Island sound on and off shore and In my early 20s obtained my license my captain's license and just been in my soul all my life, you know sailing and so You know as I was coming out of cancer. I really just Actually when I was right in the middle of everything I knew that for me to be able to get away from every every day every minute of this anxiety that You know hoping you're on the right track for your your right Treatments and am I going to survive and what's going to happen to my children and all of those anxiety-provoking thoughts? That I felt that being on on the water being powered by the winds and especially sailing out here on Lake Champlain was a tremendous opportunity for me just to leave everything ashore for three hours and Just to be with my extended friends and family and just make me feel like that was Normal, you know, I you know without cancer for just three hours and that was incredibly Empowering so I in 2014 decided to start this at non-profits and in this past year We have changed the name to sail beyond cancer, which is a better name that better describes who we are what we do I mean healing was a great name, but it just didn't quite I always had to sort of explain it to people Right. So, you know, so I really wanted to have something here that Was easy to to identify with immediately and actually you can see sort of behind me. I have a couple of code flags. This is the You'll see what the the actual trademark and the logo is, you know, we're gonna talk about that in a minute, but The that's that's how it started. And so for me it was people who I'm just getting diagnosed with cancer are going through chemo or in radiation on hospice The people who are actually in it, you know, are dealing with this thing a day and day out It's their private three-hour sale with anybody that they want to take with them up to about eight people and so it's sort of a private little this getaway that's gonna escape on Lake Champlain and You know regroup and honor that person that asked us to be there and So, yeah, that's how that's that's that's that's the whole the wonderful organization that started again here in February That sounds very wonderful How how would you as someone who doesn't describe The experience and how does that help somebody who's facing that particular problem? a very very good question it you know to Answer how it helps somebody for one thing. It just helps them physically to detach. It's amazing how when you're on a boat I mean many of us had the opportunity to get on a motorboat or even just something once you detach yourself from land There's just something symbolic about just leaving everything there, you know and just get away So so for that person who's dealing with this day in and day out It really is insistent and it's been wonderful to be able to be out there With people that you just adore you and love you and want the best for you. So What happens out there Dennis? It's really pretty cool is that This is an opportunity for for someone to say, you know nominate you or refer you to come to a sale with us and We think you would have a great time And we're going to suggest that you know they they ask you to come out and at the same time for that person Who is let's say in in hospice or a respite house and you know stage four and limited time left with us? I have found that it's a great opportunity for them to say Thank you to all the people that have been by their side all this time and say thank you in a unique way When they can provide memories, you know So to being with us is an opportunity to say thank you to their family and also have a wonderful time outside and it's positive and Uplifting memory of this that this person is providing for their family While they're still here and and so this is wonderful these two things that are happening out there at the same time And and then mother nature just does her thing, you know, I mean just being out there is is really very incredibly moving So, yeah, you described the route you take where do you go if you go across to New York? Where on the lake you have any special spots? It's a very very big lake of course and where do you go? How far you? Good question. How far do I go? So it really we tend to go three hours at a time because we find that that's about the right time That you know, it takes about an hour for people to really just you know Let this and just relax and not worry, right? We have you know captains and we have a two crew So it's three three total crew that are really there to be there for these people and with three hours here on Lake Champlain Dennis we have Prevailing winds that come from the north or they come from the south generally in the summer I mean, that's pretty much, you know, I mean within reason, right? But that's pretty much the deal so We have pretty much found that you know, that's a big lake, right? So, you know, nine miles across there at the widest part 57 miles long and so we really can go out we tend to go out and Depending on the waves and the wind we will often go around juniper island sometimes go into Shelburne Bay and Sort of really depends on the wind and where it'll take us because the whole point is to turn off the engine Get these sails up, you know, and allow Allow mother nature to really bring this boat through the water And we actually just so you know, we we immediately as soon as we can We'll hand the helm the wheel over to that very person that is being honored Because we want to give them something that's in control And they have something nice in control for a few hours where everything else seems to be kind of out of control You know, and so it's a lot of fun incredibly It's a it's incredibly powerful, you know, it's not a negative thing because we're we're giving them a little piece of joy in Their journey, which is not so positive often So you have your own vessel or what vessels do you use? So yes, well healing winds has your own vessel and so sail beyond cancer we just started up here in 2020 and We are going to have a vessel we don't right now, but all the all the vessels in this organization in the past organization have been donated and so the actual organization owns the vessels and so what that means is that we get to sales six days a week and sometimes up to three times a day and So it's going it's it's it's amazing last summer for instance with healing winds We took we went on 91 sales and we took about 595 people out so I anticipate that absolutely happening here again with sail beyond cancer and Our captains are pretty qualified. They're all either Coast Guard licensed captains or have been or you know really know what they're doing and with sail beyond cancer we we take pride in and Providing tremendous training for them before they get onto the boat, you know rather than just sending people out There is a training that goes through, you know that you really have to know kind of what to say and When to be quiet and you know when obviously have compassion, you know, but Just just making sure that we're providing the best possible sail every single time Are these captains volunteers or do you actually charter best? No, so this is all a volunteer driven non-profit, which is so wonderful because you know, many people have been touched by cancer I don't know whether you have or not, but you know, I mean, it's everywhere and so it's a great way for people to give back and in their in their time we have up to 20 captains and probably 35 crew or so that we've vetted and That we really want to Make sure that they're feeling really good about being out there, which they always do but So yeah, it's all volunteer. I mean there's with sail beyond cancer. We have one one staff member will probably end up having two as we get up and running more and It's just great for people to know that this is what we're doing here on Lake Champlain, so How does somebody Coordinating does sound like a massive operation running almost from my mind or something like Does it work? Is that what you said? How does it has it organized? Yeah Yeah, so I think you I was a little bit hard for me to hear you. Sorry. I think you said how is it organized or Organized and coordinate Yes, okay, so the staff member is our scheduler and What happens is we have a board of directors here and You know, you know just like any nonprofit we are a 501 c3 So we're fully, you know part of the IRS and you know, we're all legitimate And so anybody can nominate anybody or you know refer anybody to come sailing and then we coordinate with that person What's the best day? You know of the week that they can come out sailing with us and Then they have then they're kind of charged with coordinating who they want to have come with them Right, so then we leave it up to them and we get once they gather their friends or family Then they will call us back or we'll call them back and we'll coordinate a day and a time that works best for them Dennis we tend to sail the exact same time Each day so we know that on Fridays. We leave at 10 a.m. Or 2 p.m. Or 5 30. So you have three choices The weekends tend to be the most coveted times, you know to to go because it's easier for Friends and family to take off from work or you know are available to come and sail With you so it's it's pretty it's it's a pretty good well oiled machine at this point You know we've taken and with the other organization. We've taken about 1800 people out sailing So, you know, it's just amazing. Yeah, it is just great So I fully anticipate that we'll be as be busy if not busier Here on Lake Champlain as well. So it's a it's exciting. You know, a lot of this is electronic We get all the all the waivers a sign before they get on the boat What's different about this type of organization? It's a nonprofit We don't take any money to to take somebody out sailing So we're not a charter company like the friendship slugs or it is For any of the other places here on Lake Champlain, it's it's it's a free service that's supported by individual Donations family foundations Corporate grants that sort of thing So they're similar to make-a-wish if you would you know, if you think of make-a-wish or Habitat for humanity or so it's it's a service that we provide, but it's a free service. So, you know It what what that happened that makes it all work, right? If it was a charter company would be very expensive to to do Imagine that's that's amazing Sailing itself All the coordination and also inspections and Making it ready you're running, you know, it's both goes with both Now when when a Bessel goes out, how many people do you take and how many people can you? Let's say someone has a big family that kind of thing Well, we thank you. That's a good question, too But right now of course the sail be on cancer because we are looking for the type of boat we want We've really figured out what works best here on this lake So, you know, we're looking at probably a 40-foot vessel which will accommodate for here That's big, but you know, you get off of Lake Champlain a 40-foot vessel is not really considered a very big boat But in any case we have one captain that's in charge and then we have two crew members than us One of which is considered a first mate, which is essentially that captain's right-hand person, right? and that first mate is is qualified skill level is very high and for sailing and then we also have a second crew member which is sort of like a I would say a I We call them an ambassador, but it's almost like a cruise director, you know that person and You know loves I mean the old we all bet people we train them all right, you know Everybody is compassionate but that person's job is to really be sort of the liaison between the group and You know getting getting sunscreen getting water getting whatever else that they might need they can go up and down You know, there's a hold down below, you know of these boats There's bunks and bathroom and you know, there's what they're pretty good size But yeah, so that person's really there to Be be the point person where you all talk to everybody but as your role That's you know, the captain's role and the first mates role Their primary role is to make sure that this sale every sale is is by the books exactly the same Protocol, you know, US Coast Guard compliant, you know being a captain myself It's so important to have safety matters and training done Well before anybody gets on that boat as one of our crew because you know, you that is the program Dennis, you know It was three hours, so what about What about explaining what's going on? Sort of and I think everybody could use this a little bit of an educational component explaining What's going on with the vessel but also what are they seeing out there some of the historic Aspects of Lake Champlain does any of that type of thing? Yeah, it's very good question. You know, it's interesting. I can't wait to get you out You have to come out as one of my my crew because you know, it's just it's very interesting It goes against what a lot of people think okay When you go out on a sailboat and you you're on a chartered sailboat You are there to be sort of entertained in a way, right? You know your your job as captain and crew is to say well that yellow buoy over there represents a sunken ship and this is the whole history on this boat We do that Dennis, but It's a really fine line with what we do because our main purpose is To guide these people this group is very special group Who is very much engrossed in their family and especially that person that they're honoring, right? So we're essentially Getting them away from their their cancer anxiety to bring them out to allow them to be with each other and and Sometimes some of these family members have not been you know in 40 feet of each other in a very long time You know let alone stuck on a boat for three hours and you know You can think about some of these high school kids who are like, oh You know, but I'm telling you a year an hour into the sail They're just loving life and they just think this is the best thing ever So the captain's role and the crew's role is absolutely to have this knowledge, right? We have all the knowledge of the different You know the wrecks and you know history of all and there are definitely people that ask that But it's very a very fine line because we are not here to entertain them or to Teach them how to sail We'll answer questions But it's it's very interesting because you know our job is to watch a lot, right? Watch the body language Some of these families are just hunkered in and have no idea where they are on the lake. They don't care They're just thrilled to be out there. They don't they have no idea that we're tacking You know, they don't even know like then sometimes they'll look up and they'll see oh my god There's another boat over there, you know, but but then they get right back into their conversation, you know so It is it is really magical Because it is it is important to understand what our role is out there and that's why the training is just So important, you know And so I did that does that help answer? Oh, absolutely, and yeah, I know there's some of these charters don't want to just have a lecture and People really want to talk or when people want to talk they want to make you hear a lecture or whatever, you know, so it's Flexibility, I think Enjoy the day enjoy the the moment Probably more important than getting getting a lecture And I know this is probably on the website Oh My goodness so many amazing amazing comments, you know, I I have a couple of I'll give you a quick story I've had them, you know hundred stories, right, but Here's the story of a woman that Had nominated her sister and her sister was in hospice so we all went out sailing and it was a really great day and so it's kind of in the August or so and This is again, this is several years ago But so in October or the boat comes out of the water, you know the first week in October It's too cold up here to sail so in October. I get a call from the sister I said, you know, Suzanne do you remember me and I said absolutely I totally do and she said well, I want to tell you that You know that you know Helen passed away this morning, you know, so she's calling me They tell me that the very person that that we took out passed away and that was like, you know, of course I'm just so sorry and she said and we're all sitting here in her living room in Barry and we're all talking about What an amazing gift you all gave us and it was something that no other organization has been able to do And you gave us the gift of memories and time and time together And we are so very thankful for that and we just keep talking about this and she kept talking about this You know right up to the you know the day before she died and So I meet just we just hope that this is something that is available for other families like us and you know In little flowers with can we have you know donations going up, you know, of course Yes, thank you so very much, but that's the kind of thing that It affects people in it. I mean we give photos Dennis as well So the photos are lasting memories of this of this time together And another another story that was very touching that I love to share is that a friend of mine here in Burlington was not you know came out sailing. It's the stage for Cancer and She came out with her girlfriends, right and they had a great old time I mean they were laughing and just you know having just a ball and It was really really wonderful to see and so what we've got off the boat after the sale and everybody's leaving and She let me get on to the dock and she turns to be and It starts crying and gives me a big hug And just said, you know, you have no idea she said I Felt cancer-free for three hours and you know, I will never be ever be cancer-free again And just this time it could be with my girlfriends and just be You know, I'll call her Susie, you know, just be Susie Everybody knew and they all my girlfriends know me as you know, this is we that was that was unbelievably Special and and we thank you so so much for doing this and it's so important that We have these times to get away and escape, you know, so Those are two examples. I mean I can go on forever, but Or at the beginning of June right now, maybe you can just tell our viewers What plans do you have for the summer and the rest of the season? Well for this season, you mean? Yes. Yes. Well a good question, right? I mean I honestly believe that we we do have You know, we have a few sales that are scheduled and it but they're tentative because for me the last thing I want to do is to to at all hurt And and expose this very very Sensitive population right now because of course anybody going through cancer any age any cancer, which are the people that we serve, right Dennis They have no antibody. They have no they're everything's shot, especially if they've gone through chemo Which most of them have And I know this all firsthand, you know, I mean it's well So to answer your question We are able to get out more on the lake now Normally, you know, those of us who are not dealing with cancer But that does not mean that we can go and do this with the very very demographic that we are here to serve so I am Very tentative about getting out there and because they are the priority It's not about showing the community that we're out there. We're getting out there doing these things so we need to be very very careful and You know, we just don't know enough about this covid to know The last it would be be awful if we accidentally, you know expose somebody And that's that's not good, right? I mean, they're Their chances of survival are significantly lower than someone like you and me. So so I'm not I mean So meanwhile it gives us an opportunity to get out there and talk to people like you So thank you so much for having us on and share with people that I am right here I am running sale beyond cancer We are absolutely positively here to serve the public and do it even better than we've done it before so That's great One of the things we like to do in positively romant is to tell the viewers And the public how they can help and specifically what do you need right now? Yes, well we great great. Sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt you there So the best way people can help us is to to like our website our our facebook page or instagram Our our linkedin watch what we're doing Comment get involved sign up to be a volunteer. There's many many different things that you can do even if we can't get out sailing yet We are going to be starting a little campaign for a vessel even though All these vessels are usually donated to us. We would love to be able to have anybody's You know friends of anybody on or off the lake who have a vessel that they are thinking about either selling or can't sell That they would like to talk to us and so that would probably be our front and center Aspect that we are looking for a 38 38 to 45 foot vessel Of a sailing boat obviously, you know, that's not Any older than 1990 ideally So but you'll see those type of things on our website and I just encourage people to sign up learn about us find out how we're a little different than the other organization here in Lake Champlain and You know what sets us apart and how they can help Why don't you give us? I know sometimes it's difficult in this format to see those Website information. Why don't you just state them out right now? your website Okay sail beyond cancer.org Yeah, and so sail beyond cancer.org is is the mothership And when you get to that website, you'll see the boat sailing by Hit there's two chapters one right here in Burlington and one in Salem, Massachusetts They are separate entities They are each other board of directors and they do their fundraising So you if you know somebody that you want to nominate or you know refer Refer a nominator the same thing, you know, you're basically referring a friend to go sailing You can refer them if they are from Boston or from that area you can get onto that page and refer them there We are absolutely 100% Legit with these two different chapters, so if you have friends that you think would want to Volunteer you can send them a page and say you go ahead and click right on there The little buttons to say, you know donate here, of course, but that we really need So we especially, you know encourage any kind of support Dennis, you know, whether it be financial because we're just starting back up again here and With COVID-19, obviously it's very hard to be able to Share the value of what we do and that's that's what people people want to give To help people in our community, right? That's why You do what you do right because you're here you're trying to explain and share people in your network What other awesome opportunities are there out there to get involved and So that's that's how you can do it get on that website Look at our facebook page sale beyond cancer vermont There's our facebook page same thing with linkedin and comment And get involved. They just love to have your input That's great. Well, thank you very much and certainly we should happy selling and We want to thank you for appearing with us today on positively vermont This is Dennis McMahon My guest today has been susanne snider johnson the executive director and a captain of sale beyond cancer A very unique organization and thank you all for watching