Karen “Merlin” lives on a blueberry farm in Massachusetts.  She may be spotted paddling down a river, climbing up big rocks or bopping around on trails. Merlin spent years of her career leading adventures for kids impacted by cancer and other serious illnesses, before pivoting indoors to work in emergency medicine and palliative care as a child life specialist.

Merl loves her permanent position as a mom and lately enjoys teaching art and wood carving to high schoolers … so her summers are free to work FD!

Merlin lives with this “friend” named multiple sclerosis.  MS follows her everywhere and is sometimes telling her to slow down but Merlin refuses to listen. She was first introduced to FD through a climbing program in Colorado. Since then she’s been hooked on the FD magic.

Let’s sit in a sunny spot on a rock, float quietly down a river or catch a party wave together to remind ourselves our bodies ARE still working and time spent in wild places is profoundly healing.