Patrick Woepse, a former channel swimmer and water polo player who passed away last year at the age of 31 due to a rare form of cancer, left a powerful legacy among his family, friends, teammates, and classmates. His favorite quote, “We can do hard things,” shapes the mission of the Patrick Woepse Foundation.
And that is exactly what the UCLA water polo team did today in winning a thriller at the NCAA Division I Men’s National Championship game over cross-town rival USC.
Coming from behind over the last three quarters, and holding off host Stanford University in a tight semifinal battle yesterday, UCLA enjoyed an unbelievable end to a magical season. While wearing white caps with the initials PW, UCLA players had worked hard all season – just as Woepse had quietly done all throughout his life.
UCLA’s Frederico Jucá Carsalade scored the winning goal in the championship game with one second to go, after a perfect pass and decoy from 2024 Olympic bronze medalist (and open water swimmer) Ryder Dodd. Carsalade’s arms were raised in jubilation as time expired and the UCLA team and their exuberant fans roared with elation.
The Patrick Woepse Foundation
The Foundation honors the life of Woepse while raising awareness for NUT Carcinoma and other rare cancers. The pillars of the Foundation are built upon Woepse’s legacy, innovative collaboration, hard work, and resilience with the aid to advocate for rare cancer research and trials, patient and family care, and areas that need change within the NUT Carcinoma community.
The Foundation works alongside the Dana-Farber Institute, the Crabtree Lab at Stanford and University of North Carolina to offer its support and funds to help push for change.
NUT Carcinoma
NUT Carcinoma is a rare and aggressive cancer, primarily diagnosed in young adults. NUT Carcinoma is a midline cancer, meaning it is found in the head, neck, chest (lung) or abdomen. Symptoms include unintentional weight loss, fatigue, pain, cough and shortness of breath.
One of the most concerning aspects of NUT Carcinoma is its rapid progression and resistance to standard cancer treatments. Because it is so rare, it is often misdiagnosed or discovered at an advanced stage, making it difficult to treat. Researchers are actively working to develop better therapies.
Legacy
A fellow UCLA alumnus Jackie Robinson once said, “A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives.”
As a former water polo player and English Channel (10 hours 28 minutes) and Catalina Channel (12 hours 53 minutes) swimmer, Woepse was an individual whose smile and actions touched those around him. He was the roommate friends wanted, the teammate that players loved, the friend who always showed up, and the brother, son uncle, next-door neighbor, co-worker, and husband that everyone respected. He exuded a positive, enthusiastic, can-do vibe to the air – especially when times were tough.
His wife, Maddie Musselman Woepse, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, explains the scope and mission of The Patrick Woepse Foundation below.
For more information on the Foundation, visit here.
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