DeeDee Jonrowe
BEL AIR, Md.–Oak Grove Baptist Church hosts third annual women’s conference, “Let Your Light Shine,” featuring DeeDee Jonrowe, an Iditarod Musher and breast cancer survivor, on April 13, 2013, from 9:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. The cost is $25.00 (includes continental breakfast and lunch).
DeeDee Ann Jonrowe is an American kennel owner and dog musher who is a three-time runner up in the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. She holds the fastest time ever recorded for a woman.
She has fifteen top ten finishes in her career. Her second place finish in 1998 was the fifth fastest Iditarod time ever recorded at that point. In addition to the Iditarod, DeeDee has competed and won most major dog sledding races throughout her career, including the Copper Basin 300, Klondike 300 and the John Bear grease sled dog marathon.
In July 2002, Jonrowe was diagnosed with breast cancer. Three weeks after completing chemotherapy, she competed in the 2003 Iditarod, placing 18th. The story was widely publicized, and in 2003 she won the Most Inspirational Musher Award, and was named the honorary chair of the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life.
Notwithstanding the cancer, Jonrowe continues to face the hazardous task of dog mushing in Alaska. According to Women Warriors (2004) Jonrowe said, “I’ve had back surgery, frozen my shoulder, broken my hand…I think I’ve had every single cold related injury. I haven’t had any amputations, but I have had severe frostbite on my fingers, cheeks and nose. I even frostbit my corneas some years ago.”
Jonrowe’s athletic involvement does not stop at being a professional dog sled racer. She is an advocate of living a healthy lifestyle no matter the season. Her love of running and bike riding led her to pursue a dream of competing in another venue. After months of hard training, DeeDee was able to compete in the October, 2006 running of the Ironman in Kona, Hawaii.
The Ironman World Championship in Kona is one of the most recognized triathlons in the world. It features approximately 1,500 competitors and consists of a 2.4-mile ocean swim, a 112-mile bike race and a 26.2-mile run. The Ironman is considered one of the most difficult endurance races in the world.
A documentary film based on this experience, entitled “Ironwoman: The DeeDee Jonrowe Story,” won the 2007 Best of Photojournalism award with the Poynter Institute.
Dee Jones and Karen Rickards will provide the special music.
Registration form can be downloaded from the church’s website.
For more information, contact Oak Grove Baptist Church at (410) 838-9898. The church is located at 2106 Churchville Rd., Bel Air, Md.