Kayak for a Kure

Like so many residents of the Lowcountry, Jed Elmaleh loves to kayak.

But it's a joy the 45-year-old Mount Pleasant man doesn't take for granted because it requires a herculean effort just to get in the water.

For the past 16 years, Elmaleh has endured a string of major health problems, including cartilage cancer in his hip, a brain tumor and skin cancer. Today, Elmaleh is in an advanced stage of multiple sclerosis, a condition in which the immune system attacks the central nervous system, and many times his body won't do what his mind tells it to do.

The disease simply saps his muscle strength and energy.

"Sometimes it takes me a day or two to get my energy level up for a paddle and then a day or two to recover from a trip," says Elmaleh. "But I love paddling because being in nature, and especially on the water, is very therapeutic.

"Living with these disabilities can be very frustrating, but to be out there and feel the breeze on my face, it makes my worries disappear."

Elmaleh, who is a trained physical therapist but half-jokes that he's a "professional patient," adds that the exercise itself also is beneficial by building his strength.

In addition to Elmaleh's strong will and loving family, Kathie Livingston, owner and operator of Awendaw-based Kayak Nature Adventures, was instrumental in helping get him out on the water.

Livingston is versed in "adaptive paddling" for the disabled, which, as the name suggests, helps remove the obstacles the disabled face with the sport.

Livingston is motivated, in part, because she's had family members with MS and because paddling provides those who have compromised lower bodies, such as paraplegics, an opportunity to participate.

"In a kayak, we're all the same from the waist up," she notes.

Livingston helped find Elmaleh a kayak that was suited to his needs. First, it's made out of a material that is 25 percent lighter. The kayak also is wider, which is more stable and easier for him to get in and out of. The kayak also features several adaptations, such as a leash and neoprene handgrips for the paddle and extra cushioning in the seat.

Livingston, who also operates from Shem Creek with Kayak Nature Adventures, has been involved with adaptive paddling for about five years and is in the process of getting her certification as an adaptive paddling instructor for the American Canoe Association. ACA sets rigorous guidelines in its effort to safely provide the disabled with opportunities to enjoy canoeing and kayaking.

Last year, Livingston and Elmaleh launched the inaugural Kayak for the Kure. The event drew 75 kayakers to relatively remote Quinby Creek near Huger and raised $4,000 for the Mid-Atlantic Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

They hope to draw even more for the second annual event to be held Oct. 18 on the less remote Shem Creek. Trips will be led by 10 naturalist guides and encompass the areas of Shem Creek and Crab Bank.

"MS is a horrible, horrible disease, and we hope to do what we can to help wipe it off the face of the planet," says Livingston.

Reach David Quick at 937-5516 or dquick@postandcourier.com.