“Disc golf saved my life!”
Anxiety and depression left Donna McLean Snyder, 58, feeling lost. Then she discovered a lowimpact sport that restored her health and happiness
Just after arriving at work, Donna felt a surge of anxiety. She couldn’t catch her breath and felt like she was choking on air. Almost before she could react, Donna felt a sharp pain grip her chest. Dizzy and afraid, she sat down and realized she was having a full-blown panic attack. “I have always loved working at the YMCA, but I’d been dragging my feet, wanting to just stay home. When I left for work that morning, I felt nauseous and numb, and by the time I got to work, my heart was racing,” Donna explained. “Alarmed by my symptoms, my supervisor called an ambulance.”
“Several hours later, after a full exam and hearing about the events taking place in my life, the doctor recommended that I take a leave of absence from work. He wrote me a prescription for an antidepressant and gave me the name of a therapist. What the doctor had realized and what I quietly knew was that I was struggling with a broken heart and a broken spirit. These were my darkest days.
Anxious and alone
“Five months earlier, I’d had hip surgery to correct a birth defect that made it difficult for me to stay active. More than ever, I needed to be physically strong and healthy in order to take care of my husband, Chris, who had multiple sclerosis.
“As I recovered from hip surgery, just as I was getting back outside to
walk and ride my bike, Chris was diagnosed with a rare form of liver cancer that spread quickly. When he died just six months later, depression crept into my life. I felt trapped in a cramped, inactive world. Once an active hockey and soccer player with lots of energy, I felt old and tired. I spent much of my time in the house.
“I saw a doctor, but the medications he prescribed for my depression were too strong and left me numb. I wanted an alternative. In the past, exercise had always helped me cope, but I couldn’t manage to get off the couch. It was as if a switch had flipped, and I simply had no energy for anything.
Rediscovering joy
“One day, Rick, a longtime friend who knew I suffered from depression and anxiety, stopped by and invited me to go walk around the local disc golf course while he tossed his Frisbee. I didn’t really want to go, but I knew I needed to get moving, and I trusted Rick not to pepper me with questions.
“I had never played disc golf but had seen enough golf on TV to know that I would be outside on fairways and putting greens, and Rick assured me that I wouldn’t be expected to wear traditional golf attire. Instead of using golf clubs, Rick carried a dozen Frisbees, and he aimed them at metal baskets rather than tiny holes in the ground.
“As we wandered the golf course, Rick quietly explained that playing disc golf had helped him cope with his own darkest days. He said being outside and learning a new sport gave him more energy and something to look forward to. His words struck a chord.
“By the time we got to the ninth hole, I could breathe more easily, and I felt calmer. I liked the golf course, and I liked Rick’s company, so I asked Rick if he’d teach me to play. The next week, at almost 54, I threw my first disc. It felt good in my hand, and from the start, I could keep it on the fairway.
“I kept going to the course with Rick, and pretty soon, I knew which discs to throw for which distances, and I learned to love the sound of the disc hitting the metal basket. The better I got, the more relaxed I felt.
“Seeing how much I enjoyed the sport, Rick eventually convinced me that I should join a local disc golf league. I think Rick knew that joining a league would connect me with people. He was right. I met my first disc golf friend, Veronica, at an amateur tournament that year.
“Over the past three years, I have traveled across Canada playing the sport. I play in amateur tournaments and have found a community of individuals who share my love of the sport and have taken the time to encourage me, teach me and enjoy my company. Like Rick, the combination of learning a new sport, being outside and being a part of a community is just what I needed. It pulled me out of depression’s darkness and helped me start living my life again.
“These days, I am very active and motivated. I am no longer on medication, and my depression is almost nonexistent. Although I remember those difficult years, they’re now a part of my past. Disc golf pulled me out of isolation, and I now look forward to spending time with family and friends, walking, talking, laughing and throwing Frisbees. I am energized and finally on the move again!”
—As told to Dale and Darcy Cahill