Grief to Grace: How a Paddleboard Ride Sparked a Mental Health Movement in Central Texas

In 2009, Mark Garza was blindsided by a phone call that would change his life. His father, seemingly fine, had just learned he was living with terminal cancer that had spread throughout his body. 

The news shattered the foundation of their close-knit family. Mark, then 33, watched his siblings crumble in their own ways. But what he didn’t realize at the time was that he, too, was breaking. “I wasn’t doing so well, but I didn’t realize it,” Mark reflects. 

That’s when he discovered paddleboarding—initially not as therapy, but as a morning routine with a friend. At 6 a.m., on a quiet Austin lake, he began reconnecting with nature, his thoughts, and most importantly, himself. “It really started helping my brain, my emotions,” he says. “It gave me clarity.”

The real turning point came when he sat down with a therapist for the first time. The cost—$150 per session—was jarring. When he hesitated, she called him back that Saturday and offered to work within his means. “It changed my life,” Mark says. “I always say it was like she put a USB stick in my neck and downloaded everything I was carrying. She gave it back to me in a way I could understand.”

That moment became the spark for Flatwater, an Austin-based nonprofit on a mission to provide access to mental health support for individuals and families affected by a cancer diagnosis. What began with a simple act of vulnerability has become a multi-million dollar organization serving Central Texas—proof of what’s possible when personal pain is turned into public purpose.

The Birth of a Movement

The inaugural “Dam That Cancer” event wasn’t supposed to be a fundraiser. It was a 21-mile paddle from Mansfield Dam to Hula Hut, involving local influencers, friends, and one clear message: Cancer affects the whole family, and mental health support should be accessible for all.

To Mark’s surprise, $35,000 poured in. “It was the first time people were seeing this message about mental health and cancer together,” he recalls. Soon after, he officially registered Flatwater Foundation as a nonprofit organization in July 2010. Inspired by his late father—who had founded a dental nonprofit called Christina’s Smile in honor of Mark’s twin sister who passed at birth—Mark set an audacious goal: to cover $25 million worth of therapy for Central Texans.

“I had no background as a mental health professional. But I knew there had to be a better way to get people into therapy,” Mark says. “It was too hard to access. Too expensive. Even for someone doing okay financially like me.”

Scaling with Heart

Flatwater’s early days were scrappy by design. Mark juggled a demanding job in advertising while building the Foundation by night. Determined to keep overhead low, he developed internal software to manage program services and fundraising, long before nonprofit tech solutions were widely available.

However, the real accelerator came in 2013, when Chelsea Hardee joined the team. Mark calls her arrival “a God thing.” She brought operational strength and deep empathy. “We were complete opposites,” he laughs. “And that was perfect.” Chelsea focused on events and fundraising, while Mark stayed close to program services. They worked side-by-side, stubbornly lean, refusing to hire until it became unsustainable.

Eventually, a professional staff began to take shape, including experts like Becky Morales, who brought decades of mental health program experience. Flatwater transitioned to more sophisticated platforms, an expanded board of directors, and a more strategic model without losing sight of its mission.

Paddleboarding with Purpose

Paddleboarding remains Flatwater’s spiritual center. It’s not just a fitness trend; it’s a symbol of the stillness and strength required to face life after a cancer diagnosis.

“It’s not about the board,” Mark says. “It’s about reconnecting—with nature, with yourself, with community.” The annual “Dam That Cancer” paddle has become both a fundraiser and a pilgrimage. Participants cover 21 miles, shoulder-to-shoulder, in a powerful reminder of what resilience looks like.

“It’s not a race. It’s not a run where you can’t talk. It’s a moving conversation.”

A Legacy of Letting Go

Perhaps the most remarkable chapter in Flatwater’s story is Mark’s willingness to step back. Founder’s Syndrome often plagues mission-driven organizations. But Mark chose differently. Today, he serves on the board, supporting strategy and governance, while Chelsea is CEO.

“We have the best staff we’ve ever had,” Mark says with pride. “Everyone is working in their strength. We’re not just getting by—we’re thriving.”

And while Flatwater remains committed to serving the Central Texas area, the team is thoughtfully considering what it would take to grow. “We’ll expand only when we can do it without sacrificing quality. We’ll never pull resources from Central Texas to fund growth.”

The Future is Local—and Limitless

Flatwater isn’t just about therapy access. It’s about community resilience, spiritual healing, and reimagining what cancer care really means. As mental health continues to move from the margins to the mainstream, Mark’s vision is more relevant than ever.

When asked if his family ever got therapy, Mark pauses. “I don’t know if I inspired it,” he says, “but now it’s part of everyone’s life. Yoga, mental health, self-care. It’s become normal.”

Thanks to Flatwater, that sense of normalcy is within reach for many more.