Rebecca Dunning, Sara Egan: Illawarra woman proves determination is all you need to succeed
Sara Egan has proved that no matter you’re ability, you can do whatever you set your mind to, as long as you’ve got a positive attitude and a bit of determination.
Illawarra Star
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When Sara Egan first stood up on a paddle board she screamed loud enough to disturb a
nearby caravan park.
After eight months of training, determination and mental grit, the 40-year-old used her paddle to push herself up into a standing position in the middle of the board.
For some, the move from the knees to the feet sounds easy, but for someone with cerebral palsy like Ms Egan, it’s a lot more difficult.
“I’ll give everything a go, if I can’t do it I’ll try again,” she said. “And If I can’t do it a third time I’ll try it again.”
It was that mentality that lead Ms Egan to try paddle boarding in the first place. When old school friend and two-time national bodyboarding champion Rebecca Dunning invited Ms Egan to a SUP Yoga class there was nothing to stop her from giving it a go.
What followed was a journey of determination, strength and self discovery.
Ms Dunning started teaching Ms Egan how to SUP once a week at Lake Illawarra and immediately noticed her determination.
“I’ve been told I’m one of those people that encourages people to do things even if they think they can’t …. I let them believe in themselves,” Ms Dunning said.
“That’s what I saw in Sara when she came along she had that determination already.
“I could see the steps building in my mind. I just needed to get her to see them as well.”
The pair trained together for months, with Ms Dunning brainstorming ways to get her friend standing on the board.
“I went home to my husband Justin and said how can we build her a frame to put on the front of the board,” she said.
But she quickly realised that Ms Egan didn’t need any help, just a supportive push in the right direction. After eight months of weekly paddles, Ms Egan decided she was going to try and stand up, and so she did.
“We paddled out to Windang Island one day and I just said to Bec can we try and stand up,” she said.
“I got up sort of hunched over, but it was great, I think I screamed.”
From that point forward Ms Dunning said she began seeing huge changes in Ms Egan.
“Her self esteem has really come up, her confidence and her ability to do anything.”
Ms Egan, a chef at Robertson Public House, began throwing her energy into her cake making business following her success on the water, which has grown significantly in recent months.
Stand-up paddle boarding has also brought her closer to her late father Jim Egan, who was a keen surfer. At times, Ms Egan can feel her father on the water with her, either cheering her on or having a laugh if she falls from her board.
“It’s a great feeling, I’ll know he’s there sometimes, I’ll feel him there,” she said.
“Bec and I went out for a paddle one morning and when we came back I was looking at the photos and I realised there was a love heart in the clouds …. I knew he was there.”
Ms Dunning has also got a lot out of her friendship with Ms Egan, now providing paddleboard lessons for people with all abilities, including some with autism and others suffering from blindness.
“I think that’s what [people like Ms Egan] kind of don’t realise is … if I see you catching a wave, or if I’m catching wave alongside of you and I pull my camera out and am filming next to you, that’s my kick, I get a lot from that,” she said.
While the weather’s getting cooler, the duo has no plans to stop, with the next challenge to get Ms Egan up and surfing on her paddleboard.