CELEBRATION, Fla. - Two sisters living in North Carolina and Oklahoma are thankful for the Women's Bassmaster Tour, which is giving them five opportunities to see one another in person.
And because one was recently diagnosed with cancer, sharing time together is more important than ever.
Linda Berry of Madison, N.C., and her younger sister, Denese Freeman of Lawton, Okla., are separated by more than 1,200 miles. Before they registered as co-anglers for the WBT, they only saw one another every other year. But for two sisters with such a deep connection, the distance and time apart was hard to bear.
"Besides being a sister, she's like a mother to me," Freeman said. The sisters' mother instilled a passion for fishing in her children and when she became ill in her 40s, it was up to Berry, now 57, to help raise Freeman, who is 15 years younger.
When Berry and Freeman left their childhood home, careers and family responsibilities left little time for one another, let alone personal time for themselves. Then, when Berry was 40 years old, she was diagnosed with swelling of the muscles or myositis, a painful and debilitating illness.
"The combination of the illness and the side affects of the medication was catastrophic," Berry said. Life seemed almost unbearable. Just when she thought she wouldn't be able to overcome her illness, she met a man - who would later become her husband - who reintroduced her to fishing. "I had forgotten how much I missed feeling the tug at the end of my line," she said. "I was so happy and feeling better than I had in years."
Berry began to bring her disease under control with medicine and also started fishing tournaments. She encouraged her sister to do the same so they could see each other more often and participate in a sport they both loved. Everything was going well until 2001, when Berry was diagnosed with breast cancer. It was just a few weeks before her wedding.
Freeman quickly flew to North Carolina and maintained a bedside vigil during Berry's 34 radiation treatments. She also helped continue to plan the wedding and Berry made a full recovery.
Now, getting together for fishing tournaments is like a lifeblood, giving them an excuse to spend time together. "Fishing is a common bond we have," Freeman said.
"Tournaments are the way for us to be together. It is like a family reunion. We're really excited about the Women's Bassmaster Tour," added Berry.
Both sisters are self-employed. Berry has a cleaning and painting business and Freeman owns a graphic and Web design business.
"Fishing and the WBT has given me a purpose," Berry said. "My goal is to complete the 2006 Women's Bassmaster Tour."