Safe Spaces

The healing quality of the outdoors is undeniable. But it's not always accessible. These three women show that health challenges don't have to prevent you from having life-changing adventures.

- Jackie Lam

Hiking a mountain, riding waves, scaling a wall of ice. Outdoor adventures can be exhilarating and come with countless health perks (better mood, lower BP, the list goes on). Yet they can be a beast even when you're in peak condition.

Now, imagine how much harder these activities are if you're, say, susceptible to heat strokes, prone to numbness in your hands, or struggling with confusion-just a few of the barriers that make fresh-air feats seem out of reach for many people living with chronic conditions and disabilities.

If you or a loved one is holding back from alfresco action, know this: You can live big. Just ask the three women you're about to meet. They went all out on treks they once felt fearful of. Thanks to lessons in communication, community, and self-love, they reclaimed their outdoor places.

The Survivor Who Found Fun Again on the River
EBONY-JOY IGBINOBA, 41, Atlanta

▸ I NEVER IMAGINED I would whitewater kayak in the middle of Oregon. But a breast cancer diagnosis in 2019 changed everything. My disease hijacked my physical and emotional well-being. I had a bilateral mastectomy, chemo, radiation, and physical therapy. I lost arm movement, especially on the right side. People called me a survivor, but I felt horrible every day.

When I got the opportunity to sign up for a river excursion through the nonprofit First Descents [see "Blazing Trails," page 53], I didn't know if I could physically handle it because I was still hurting from surgery and taking meds that cause bone pain and extreme fatigue. But I knew I needed to reconnect with the adventurous spirit I once was, even if it took a big outing like this one.