Surfers head to the ocean at El Porto Beach to paddle out in honor of Daisy Merrick, an 8-year-old battling cancer.
by Anna Mavromati
During Daisy Merrick’s second remission of kidney cancer, her father caught her spinning a globe and kissing it. When he asked her what she was doing she said, “I’m thanking all of the people who are praying for me.”
Eight-year-old Daisy Merrick, granddaughter of world-renowned surfboard shaper Al Merrick, is now in the midst of her third cancer remission. She was first diagnosed when she was 5 years old.
Although most of the members of the national surf organization, Christian Surfers, have never met Daisy, she was in their thoughts as they paddled out to sea for the “Paddle Out for Daisy” event Saturday morning. The South Bay chapter of Christian Surfers hosted a paddle-out at El Porto. Forty locations around the U.S.—and one location in Indonesia—hosted Saturday morning paddle-outs for the cause as well.
“I’m paddling out and I’m like, ‘Wow, this is a hard paddle,’ but then you think, ‘I’m doing this for this little girl,’” said Jill Jensen, manager of events and outreach for the Skechers Foundation, who participated in the paddle-out.
The first Wilms tumor Daisy had removed was the size of a Nerf football and it had taken up a large part of her abdominal cavity. The second tumor was the size of a grapefruit. The third was only the size of a golf ball, but the operation required the removal of Daisy’s spleen as well. Chemotherapy has caused her blonde hair to fall out and her doctor is currently investigating spots that appeared on Daisy’s lungs in a CAT scan that could be more cancer. The cost of copayments for surgeries and chemotherapy for Daisy is estimated at around half million dollars.
Donations to Daisy’s family for treatment costs can be made through the website, www.prayfordaisy.com, or a $10 donation can be contributed by texting DAISY to 56512. Dean Plumlee, national director of Christian Surfers, said that about $90,000 in donations has been collected so far.
The turnout for the event at El Porto was estimated at around a hundred people. The wetsuit-clad crowd gathered to hear the story of Daisy’s battle with cancer, pray together, and take a group photo that will be sent to the Merrick family. Then they paddled out through the surf to a lifeguard on a board who acted as a buoy.
Mark Chu, chair of the South Bay chapter of Christian Surfers, said that there were participants of all skills levels paddling out, and that many of the attendees came from outside of Christian Surfers.
Plumlee said that Christian Surfers events are open to non-members and surfers of all creeds.
“We’re somewhat polarizing to some people because of the Christian ministry,” Plumlee said. “But most people who know us know that we’re not polarizing. We love surfers.”
Amy Wong, core team leader of Christian Surfers’ South Bay chapter, said that the story has touched many people in the surfing community—a culture that she said already generally comes together to bond over the sport all the time.
“One of the things I’ve noticed is if you’re a surfer and you travel worldwide, it’s its own culture and everyone pretty much gets along,” she said.
She said that everyone in the surfing community knows of Al Merrick, and that Daisy’s story, which is chronicled on her blog through a narrative and videos of Daisy and her family, has brought awareness of cancer to people around the world.
Wong said one of the videos on Daisy’s website that stands out in her memory is one of Daisy and her family visiting the Dead Sea. Daisy is playing in the water and laughing.
“That’s the part that’s so amazing, is just her joy is shining through,” Wong said. “Even though she’s going through the treatment, she’s still playing with her family.”
Many of the blog’s current posts, which can be fond at blog.prayfordaisy.com, are about the family’s stay in Tel Aviv, Israel, where the family has traveled to take Daisy to a doctor who specializes in cancer treatments.
“Evidently he is able to do some things that our doctors in the U.S. haven’t figured out with stem cell research and some really interesting treatment at the cellular level,” Plumlee said. “So the hope is when they’re done in Israel she’ll be cancer-free.”
The blog posts photos of Daisy, often wearing bright pink hats, smiling at the camera at the beach or posing with her family. One photo features a drawing Daisy made of a surfer in the ocean with a note scribbled across the top of the green construction paper reading: “P.S. I’m going to lurn to surf in Isriael.”
Plumlee said he suggested the paddle-out to bring awareness to the cause when he met with Al Merrick, who has been involved in Christian Surfers over the years.
“Al’s son, Daisy’s father, opted to become a pastor instead of take over his dad’s business,” Plumlee said. “They don’t have any money [for cancer treatments], and everyone thinks Al does, but he really doesn’t.”
“It seemed like the surf world wanted to help,” he said about coming up with the idea for a paddle-out. “But it was almost like a log dance, everybody’s there but nothing’s moving and if one log would break loose, everything would break loose.”
Plumlee attended a paddle-out in St. Augustine, Florida.
February Johnson, a Torrance resident who said she has been battling health issues of her own for the past three years, paddled out Saturday for the first time in over a year. Johnson did not want to disclose her health problems, but she said that she could relate to Daisy’s story and that this event inspired her to go into the ocean again.
“This way is my way to motivate myself to get back in the water and to give back,” she said.
As for her own history with health issues, Johnson said, “It’s not the same [as Daisy’s] but at the same time to watch a little girl—there’s so much innocence in that. We want to encourage her and she’s already inspired millions of people.” ER
