Cancer Survivor Paddles Missouri River With His Dog

Frank Carter paddled 2,341 miles along the Missouri River — the equivalent of more than 34,000 football fields — during a 64-day canoe trip with his dog Amos in 2025. 

“It’s the longest river in the U.S. We started in Montana and finished in St. Louis, Missouri,” Carter said.  

Carter and Amos took breaks to rest and regroup at campsites along the river. The trip was rigorous at times, with long, tiring days. But the 67-year-old is no stranger to difficult challenges.  

He spent five months hiking the Appalachian Trail in 2019. A year later, he bicycled from San Diego to New Smyrna Beach, Florida, completing the cross-country journey in eight weeks. But his greatest challenge in life wasn't measured in miles — it was beating cancer. 

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In 2021, Carter was diagnosed with mantle cell lymphoma, a rare blood cancer that forms in the lymphocytes.  

“After my cancer diagnosis, I told myself I was going to beat this, and I really wanted a dog during the process,” Carter said. “I have had one my whole life, so I got Amos right before my first treatment.” 

Carter’s treatment plan started with 15 rounds of chemotherapy in Orlando.  

After completing chemotherapy, small traces of the disease continued to show up on his follow-up exams. This led Carter to Moffitt Cancer Center, where he received CAR T-cell therapy.  

CAR T is a type of adoptive cell therapy that uses the body’s own immune system to attack cancer. A patient’s T cells are harvested from their body, genetically engineered in a lab and infused back into the patient.   

Since completing the treatment, Carter has now been cancer-free for the past four years.  

Frank Carter built the canoe he used to paddle down the Missouri River by hand.

In 2019, Carter spent five months hiking the Appalachian Trail.

Carter has been a very active person his whole life, frequently seeking out new adventures.

Carter's canoe trip with Amos was one of his favorite trips so far.

First Trip After Cancer  

Carter’s canoe trip on the Missouri River with Amos was his first adventure after his cancer diagnosis and carried special meaning as he adopted a new outlook on life. 

"For anyone going through a similar battle, I want them to know they are not alone," Carter said. "I try to tell them to be as positive as possible because a positive mindset goes so far." 

He shared updates on social media throughout the trip, using his posts to raise money for Blood Cancer United, an organization that funds blood cancer research. The cause is now deeply personal. 

Carter says he is already planning his next exploration and hopes to raise money for cancer research again.