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Andrea Kardos


1994 - Diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis; 18 days in hospital, Vancouver, BC
1996 - Ileostomy surgery; 24 days in hospital, Vancouver, BC
1998 - First triathlon, The Bob McIntosh memorial olympic distance, Squamish, BC
1999, 2000, 2005, 2006 - Test of Metal 67km Mountain bike race, Squamish, BC
2000, 2001, 2006 - Ironman Canada, Penticton, BC
2006 - Ironman New Zealand, Lake Taupo, NZ
2007 - Ultraman Canada relay day 1 – 10km swim and 145km bike, Penticton, BC
2007 - Award of Inspiration at Vincor Canada national sales meeting, Scottsdale, AZ
2008, 2010 - Crew for Ultraman Canada, Penticton, BC and Ultraman Hawaii World Championships, Kona, HI
2008, 2009 - Total proctectomy and 2 subsequent abdominal surgeries due to complications; 11 days in hospital, Vancouver, BC
2009 - Awarded an Olympic torch relay spot to represent Vincor Canada at the 2010 Winter Olympics
2009 - Awarded Renaissance Great Comebacks Award - Pacific Canada
2010 - Gran Fondo Whistler - Vancouver, BC



Andrea's story ...


Andrea is a 37 year old professional who has been living with an ileostomy due to Ulcerative Colitis since 1996. She’s also an endurance athlete.

She was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis at the age of 20 in January 1994. In October 1996, at the age of just 23, she had surgery to remove her entire large colon and an ileostomy was created.

Shortly after her initial surgery, she was introduced into the world of triathlon. Her first, the Bob McIntosh memorial olympic distance in August 1998 brought the entire town of Squamish together. Her friends and family were all there to support her and it was a very emotional day. Thinking back, she laughs about swimming the entire 1.5km swim breast stroke, riding a 25 year old Fiori road bike and running in trail shoes. How things have changed!

Over the next few years Andrea completed four Ironman triathlon’s, four Test of Metal mountain bike races, the Gearjammer, three half Ironman triathlons, numerous other races and even day one of the Ultraman Canada three day triathlon. Her day one portion consisting of a 10km swim followed by a 145km bike, she finished in less than 10 hours. Now that she had been exposed to Ultraman, the thought of accomplishing that was very intriguing.

The full distance Ultraman race would have to wait for Andrea because starting in 2006, she became increasingly fatigued and feverish. Over the next two years of ill health she was diagnosed with a fistula in her rectum. Major abdominal surgery was required to eliminate the fistula, all ulcerative colitis and any chance of reversal surgery. She would now live with a permanent ileostomy.

Although racing was not meant to be between 2008 and mid 2009, she couldn't stay away from the sport entirely. So, in 2008 she crewed for her previous Ultraman team mate Jenn Dawkins in her quest for Ultraman glory. During that same year, Andrea flew to Kona, Hawaii to crew for another fellow triathlete Paulo Calil from Brazil.
Ultraman is a self supported race and crewing for an athlete takes a high level of commitment and passion to see your athlete through all the highs and lows of such a gruelling event. While crewing for Paulo, Andrea ran approximately 30km with him, just three weeks before major surgery.

In December 2008, the total proctectomy was performed and unfortunately after surgery, there were many complications and another two abdominal surgeries were required. This was a very mentally challenging period, she had already been limited in the level of participation in sport and now the ability to race again seemed increasingly further away.

However, an email in May 2009 (just two days after her third surgery in five months) from a fellow ostomate would forever change her path. Rob Hill, the founder of the Intestinal Disease Education and Awareness Society (IDEAS) forwarded an invitation to a movie premiere ‘Rubber Side Down’. A documentary of two friends riding their bikes across Canada to raise awareness of the diseases, one of the gentleman Greg, was afflicted with Crohn’s disease. Andrea and three of her friends went and the inspiration that followed was all she needed. Her friend Jenn Dawkins was with her and they decided to do something so no one would have to endure all that she had over the last couple of years. TriAcrossBC was born with the intention of creating awareness for the disease, demonstrating that a quality life was more than possible with an ostomy and to raise funds to assist in finding a cure.

Over the next year, Ultraman Canada will test her like no other event.

When asked why she does endurance events, she responds that not only has she come to rely on the mental and physical challenges it provides, but the longer the distance, the longer you have to get to know the other athletes. Even over the last two years since being introduced to Ultraman, she has met such amazing people that she would never have otherwise met. Steve King, the voice of triathlon, Steve Brown, the race director of UMC, Jason Lester, an endurance athlete with a disability who just won an ESPY! Ken Glah, a 50 time Ironman finisher, Josef Ajram, an endurance athlete who travels the world and of course Jenn Dawkins, without whose support these limits would've never been tested. Meeting these inspirational people from all over the world, Spain, Greece, Portugal and Brazil definitely keeps things interesting. She loves it and to use it to better herself while helping others in the progress is really all she could ask for.

Andrea has worked for Vincor Canada as a Category Manager for over eight years and she has also been a full season ticket holder to the Vancouver Canucks Hockey team for 11 years. She currently resides in Vancouver, BC after moving there from Squamish in 1999.