Making Waves

Chad Brown can fly. Not literally, of course, but as close to it as a being without wings can get. With his feet clamped securely into the bindings of his wakeboard, Chad uses the speed of the boat pulling him up and the lift of the water's wake to soar into the air. He flips, twists and rolls, splashing down 30, 40 or 50 feet later. He describes the experience as "pure freedom."

"My body is doing this stuff," said Chad. "I'm not just sitting on the sidelines wishing it could. I am making it happen."

It's the "hard bite" and the unenviable moments when one is described as "fish food" that are most self-explanatory - moments all wakeboarders try to avoid. Perhaps Chad most of all.

Chad was diagnosed as an infant with hemophilia, meaning his body doesn't produce one of the proteins that causes blood to clot. Injuries that might produce a small bruise on most people can cause internal bleeding that is more difficult to control in hemophiliacs. Their joints are most vulnerable to bleeds.

"As a kid, I played basketball, rode my bike, swam - I was really active until my freshman year in high school. I started having lots of bleeds and was getting really discouraged. I was afraid I wasn't going to be able to walk by the time I was 30," said Chad.

For a while, quitting was easy. "Mine was a tough reality to accept. Going to school on crutches one day, and not needing them the next - people called me a 'faker'. Kids can be ruthless. They just didn't comprehend what I was going through."

But soon, the reality of his sedentary lifestyle sank in. "I started realizing that even when I did nothing, I got bleeds. I could knock my wrist hard on the TV remote and get a bleed. So I just decided I'd rather live my life than watch it go by," said Chad.

Barely out of his teens, Chad started wakeboarding. Just a hobby at first, his passion for the sport grew with every ride. "My initial intention was to find a sponsor and compete on the pro circuit. But I do have physical limitations. I can't take it to the level that it might permanently damage me," he said. "The flip side is I've learned I'm a really good coach."

So between rides, Chad helps other boarders train and prepare for competition - big competitions at the national and world levels. And, he deflects the stinging comments from critics who call him a "daredevil."

"I work hard to listen to what my body is telling me," he explained. "Do I want to ride just today, or do I want to be able to go today and tomorrow and the next day?"

In addition to monitoring his own body, Chad works closely with Dr. Mark Heiny, assistant professor of pediatrics at IU School of Medicine and head of Riley Hospital's Hematology Program.

"Chad does realize the potential consequences of wakeboarding, and he has learned he needs to take better care of himself and follow the treatment plan we've modified to fit his chosen activity level," said Dr. Heiny.

While Chad recognizes he does have physical limitations, he is determined to pursue the water sport. "Dr. Heiny trusts my judgment. I don't push beyond the envelope. Right up to it maybe, but not beyond," said Chad. "He's been such an inspiration in helping me do what I want to do."

"We actually encourage our hemophilia patients to remain active and physically fit," said Dr. Heiny. "It makes their joints stronger and more resistant to injury and bleeding. Wakeboarding was Chad's choice and we want to make it as safe as possible for him."