Ocean Cure

Ocean Cure is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Carolina Beach, North Carolina, dedicated to improving quality of life for people with disabilities and other life challenges through beach accessibility and adaptive surfing. For well over a decade, the organization has served thousands of participants and families, helping make Carolina Beach’s boardwalk one of the East Coast’s most accessible.

Ocean Cure provides beach wheelchairs and beach walkers free of charge, available by reservation for visitors who need them. Its seasonal beach mats, installed by volunteers near the Courtyard Marriott and Alabama Avenue, create more accessible routes across the sand. Mats may be removed during storms, and the organization plans to add another at Cape Fear Boulevard. Ocean Cure also offers adaptive surfing and water sports, supported by trained volunteers and professional instructors. Programs welcome people with varied experiences and disabilities, including veterans with PTSD or service-related injuries and people with spinal cord injuries. The nonprofit invites community members to help set up beach mats and participate in adaptive water sports.