At nineteen, Karen sustained a spinal cord injury from a diving accident. Nineteen years later, she survived stage four bladder cancer. Karen’s passion for life, her love of water and sport drew her to compete at top levels in sailing and swimming. Desiring to learn about the underwater world now compels her to scuba dive. The gravity eliminated environment provides many therapeutic benefits and allows her to partake of life to the fullest in spite of her paralysis. With this grant, Karen’s goal is to complete her Advanced Open Water HSA training to not only challenge herself to new heights, or rather to new depths, but to also inspire and encourage others to live life to the fullest in spite of their challenges.