Nan Condit, Cancer Survivor and "Beacon"

Nominator:

Julie Rae O’Connor

Who is my bold woman?

Nan Condit

Where and when did she live?

Condit lives in Missoula, Montana.

What did she do?

Nan has done many things. She’s been an avid cyclist, an athletic trainer, and a cutting horse breeder. In 2014, she finished treatment for breast cancer and went on to found the nonprofit Silver Lining Foundation in Missoula to support other survivors. By 2016, she started “dragon boating” with survivors and women undergoing cancer treatment. Dragon boats are 46 feet long and require 20 paddlers. The Silver Lining paddlers train and compete throughout the summer.

Dragon-boat paddler Celeste Baldwin, in a Missoulian article by Kim Briggeman, explains. “We paddle to capture the spirit of the dragon, others to conquer the rage of their diagnosis. We paddle for those who are no longer with us, for those who are in remission, who are receiving their first diagnosis or hearing of a recurrence. We paddle for those bodies that are ravaged by chemotherapy, and for those who need our support. And we paddle for ourselves, celebrating our strength, our determination and our love for family, friends and life.”

What does she mean to me?

Nan is a beacon.