Today we’d like to introduce you to Eric Pino.
Hi Eric, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Sure! My name is Eric Pino and I’m the Team Captain for The Castaways Against Cancer, a non-profit organization that began 22 years ago, when my cross country coach Steve O’Brien’s mom passed away from cancer and he decided to light a candle instead of curse the darkness. He contacted the American Cancer Society with the crazy idea to paddle from Miami to Key West, 160 miles over the course of a week, in honor of those who fought cancer. Almost 2 decades later, the organization has raised more than a million dollars for cancer research, they’ve grown the group from a couple guys to dozens that still kayak and now bike to Key West every summer in honor of those who have fought and continue fighting cancer.
The paddlers who make up the Castaways Against Cancer are a diverse group from all walks of life.
We are teachers, firefighters, lawyers, bankers, scientists, logistics specialists, non-profit executives, restaurant owners, accountants, and even celebrity wildlife experts.
We come from everywhere. Paddlers have lived all over Florida, as well as, Texas, North Carolina, New Jersey, Washington, and New York. Most have roots or connections to South Florida, but all have come together for a shared mission.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Well, as you can imagine, paddling 160 miles on the water or biking that much across the grueling heat and unpredictable and sometimes dangerous Miami and Keys weather is anything but a smooth road. There are daily struggles for our group. This past year, on our last tour, the first 2 days were brutal. There was a lot of rain and wind, lightning, and we had to keep fighting and keep paddling. The bikers also had to deal with flat tires, a dangerous road and all of us had to push through physical and mental challenges during our journey to Key West. It’s what we train and prepare for, but it’s always very rigorous and tough.
We do it because we know cancer is tougher. Our mission is what gets us through those tough days. Because no matter what, we know the people who have fought and battled cancer face the hardest struggles of all. If they can’t give up, neither can we.
In terms of the Castaways Organization, we’ve changed quite a bit in two decades and it hasn’t always been easy. I’m so proud of the growth our nonprofit has seen over the past years. It’s amazing to think of how we started and where we are today. It’s been a steady rise, both in the money we raise and the footprint we leave on the community. But after more than two decades I’m proud to say that we’ve changed and saved lives. I can’t wait to see what the next 2 decades holds for us. We have a big following now, passionate Castaways all over the state and the country. I’m honored to be a part of it.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
We’re very proud of our partnership with the University of Miami Sylvester Center. They have been changing the lives of people with cancer for years and our funding goes toward this cause. Every dollar we raise goes towards the Sylvester Center, and specifically, to fund cancer research. For us, cancer research has the ability to create breakthroughs in the fight against cancer.
Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
Though 22 years might feel like a long time, it isn’t. We’re never giving up, but we cannot do it alone. This is where we need our South Florida community’s support. Every little bit helps. Even a $1 donation to the Castaways is in honor of anyone that you might know that’s been affected by cancer – we add his or her name to our cause via our website and our tour banner. The honor page on our website lists all the people who have been affected by cancer and that we paddle for every year. We print those names up on a banner, which comes with us on our 160 mile journey every summer we paddle. It reminds of what and who we are doing this for. You’ll find a couple of our names on there as well. There are several cancer survivors on our team that paddle with us every summer. It’s an honor to do so alongside them.
Contact Info:
- Email: CastawaysAgainstCancer@gmail.com
- Website: www.castawaysagainstcancer.com
- Instagram: castawaysagainstcancer
- Facebook: castawaysagainstcancer
