Happy New Year Everyone! It’s been a heck of a year around the world (obviously) and here at Coeur as well. We’ve harped on this in the past but sometimes the constant stream of negative news that we can all be exposed to can wear you down if you’re not careful.
That’s why we created the Coeur Sports Courage Awards back in 2017. The idea was to try and find the good that is in our little corner of the endurance sports world and share it to the best of our ability with everyone we know. The way we decided to do this was to identify individuals who not only embodied our values as a company but who also served as beacons of inspiration out in the world.
Just like last year, the nominations flooded in as soon as we announced the program and we teared up as we read almost over every entry. Originally the goal was to select one winner but, as you might expect, it was incredibly hard to pick a single person. We decided to go to two, then three and wanted to go much higher. As we grow as a company, we plan on expanding to more than three. To be eligible for the award, the nominees had to do any or all of the following:
- Inspire or encourage others
- Overcome an obstacle and achieve a personal goal
- Somehow help to grow and promote endurance sports
The nominees didn’t have to be Coeur customers or to be affiliated with us in any way since we wanted to make this award about their incredible achievements and to the best of our ability put the spotlight on them.
Since as part of the award, we made we made a donation to the charity of their choice, in addition to giving the winners a gift from Coeur, we have included not only the actual nomination for each winner, but we have also highlighted the charity they each selected.
So, it’s with a profound sense of awe and respect that we announce the three winners of the Coeur Sports Courage Awards for 2018.
Leanne Lusk
Nomination for Leanne:
My nominee is Leanne Lusk. Leanne is a Coast Guard officer, an endurance runner, a mom, a breast cancer survivor, and an advocate for survivors of sexual assault and trauma. She led a groundbreaking effort for the U.S. Coast Guard to create and implement better safety measures, reporting channels, and overall awareness of the prevalence of sexual harassment and assault in the military. Her work had a major impact and she is a well-respected leader and mentor throughout the military community. Leanne is funny, warm, down to earth, and always optimistic.
She started distance running after her breast cancer treatment (which she went through while pregnant with her second child!) and in just a few years, went from being a non-runner to a marathoner and Cross Fit athlete. Leanne is smart, talented, kind, and incredibly humble and it would be wonderful for her to be recognized! Thanks!
Charity selected by Leanne:
Hope for Two…The Pregnant with Cancer Network
Hope for Two…The Pregnant with Cancer Network offers free support for women diagnosed with cancer while pregnant. We connect women who are currently pregnant with cancer with other women who have experienced a similar cancer diagnosis.
Jenna Springer
Nomination for Jenna:
I am nominating Jenna Springer. She is a dedicated and talented photographer, high school photography teacher and high school cross country coach. She is one of the most kind, loving and positive women I have met. She is pure gold and gives love to everyone she meets. Earlier in the year she was diagnosed with a life-threatening PE (pulmonary embolism) in her lung. At the time she was only 29 and stopped her in her tracks. Months of concern and blood thinning therapy sidelined her from activity. She couldn’t bike or do any activity that might be a cause for any bleeding because of the medication she had to take. She continued her teaching/coaching responsibilities with dedication to the kids, team and school throughout this ordeal. She wondered if she would ever be as strong as she was pre-PE. After being given the “okay” to come off the blood thinners she took a risk and hit the submit button to race her very first 50K Ultramarathon; The Deadhorse 50K in Moab, Utah.
Just a few weeks ago, November 17, she completed her goal and race, in a much faster time than she even predicted. She is humble and deserving of such an acknowledgment from such a great company and community.
Charity Selected by Jenna:
The Michael J. Fox Foundation is dedicated to finding a cure for Parkinson's disease through an aggressively funded research agenda and to ensuring the development of improved therapies for those living with Parkinson's today. Watch our video to find out how we will get to a cure.
Kate MacDonald Morse
Nomination for Kate:
Kate MacDonald Morse is an endurance athlete and coach who lives, trains and competes while living with MS. She is a Veteran, a mom, works full time, and is an advocate/fundraiser for MS research. She founded Team Strike Out MS, a charity focused on keeping people living with Multiple Sclerosis racing towards finish lines.
She coordinates this group to hold annual fundraising events as well as compete in runs, races, rides and triathlons. Kate runs a small business (selling "clean"/additive free skin care, cosmetics and supplements), helping people reduce toxins and evaluate how a gluten-free/dairy free diet might help their health (especially for those with chronic illness.) She is a published author of an awesome kid's book called "Spaceship to the Stars" about grief and loss. Kate blogs and posts daily about her personal experiences with endurance sports, MS, emotional and mental and physical health. She is truly an inspiration to so many of us but is also humble, funny and very approachable. Kate is always the last person to seek out accolades but I would love to see her recognized for all the phenomenal support that she gives to others!
Charity Selected by Kate:
The National MS Society is united in our collective power to do something about MS now and end this disease forever.