Austin’s Flatwater Provides Access to Mental Health Services to Families Affected by Cancer

Every September, hundreds of Austinites take to the water for the Dam That Cancer (DTC) fundraiser. More than two hundred people on stand-up paddleboards travel 21 miles to raise money for Flatwater, which provides mental health care for anyone in the Central Texas area affected by a cancer diagnosis. The 10-hour paddle from Lake Austin’s Mansfield Dam to Tom Miller Dam, which raised $1.3 million in 2023, is a meditative journey for current cancer patients, survivors, their family members, and those remembering lost loved ones. The day on the water ends with a celebration at the Hula Hut, injecting hope and community into participants’ lives, and ensuring in-person talk therapy for hundreds of Texans in the year to come.

Founding Flatwater

The organization was founded in 2010 by Mark Garza after his father was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. He and his family struggled to find affordable mental health care while dealing with the already heavy toll of cancer treatments and costs; cancer care costs families an average of $40,000. The first DTC paddle raised about $30,000, with Garza, who turned to paddleboarding as a peaceful coping mechanism, and his friends participating.

Finding serenity in calm waters

Almost 15 years later, Flatwater — named for each cancer diagnosis’s ability to cast waves of grief in all directions, and the hope to bring families back to the serenity of calm waters — has provided more than 68,000 therapy sessions and has 400 people actively enrolled.

“We provide care for anyone impacted by cancer,” CEO Chelsea Hardee says. “We provide care for children of people who have cancer. We provide care for caregivers. Basically, if cancer has impacted your life, and you need long term mental health care because of it, that’s when we step in.”

Strong mind, strong body

Hardee first started volunteering for Flatwater in 2011 because its mission incorporated two things she knew a lot about: cancer, and the importance of mental health. She had multiple family members who had been diagnosed with or died from cancer, and, as a professional pole vaulter, she knew a strong body was nothing without a strong mind. 

“You can be in the best shape of your life, but if you’re not mentally focused and prepared, then it’s the difference between winning first and not even making the podium,” Hardee says. “I saw within the organization just how important the mind and that side of it was, and there are not a lot of organizations that were focused on that. There’s cancer research and all of those different things which are really important, but Flatwater was helping people immediately with something I felt was so crucial when you were faced with a cancer diagnosis.” She became one of Flatwater’s first hires in 2013 and has been with the organization ever since.

Increased demand for mental health services

Unfortunately, Hardee sees Texans’ need for Flatwater’s services expanding. This year, the United States expects to see 2 million new cancer diagnoses, while the average cost of therapy is at least $100 an hour. Demand for mental health services with Flatwater is up 40% year over year in the first half of 2024, and they had to create a waitlist for new applicants for the first time because the organization’s budget of $115,000 per month can’t meet demand.

“Fundraising is more necessary than ever, just so we can start welcoming in those new families,” Hardee says. “The thing about cancer diagnosis is that it’s a journey. There’s no hard end in sight. Cancer pops up and it comes back. So we really want to take that financial burden out of it for families and say, ‘Hey, you focus on your physical health. You focus on surviving, and we’ll take care of your mind.’”

Flatwater’s commitment of care to Texas Families

Flatwater remains dedicated to supporting Texas families during one of the most challenging times in their lives, offering unconditional support and a safe space for mental recovery. Beyond the annual DTC fundraiser, Flatwater’s biggest, most Austin-centric event of the year, the nonprofit also takes groups to run marathons in cities like Berlin and New York City to help raise awareness and funds. Flatwater also supplies equine therapy, where people work with horses mirroring actions and emotions, which can be a more effective form of therapy for children. 

“We had a family (participate in equine therapy) where there were young kids; their mom was fighting cancer, and the grandmother became the primary caregiver,” Hardee says. “Both of the kids opened up and talked about their fears to the horses and the trainers, and it was really incredible. The mother ended up passing away, and they were so touched by the care that they received at the equine center. (Care from us) doesn’t end with death or remission. We’re there for them for as long as they need it.”

Learn more on the Flatwater website.