2,000 breast cancer fighters - in ONE place

It’s been just over a month since I travelled to Peterborough, Ontario for the International Dragon Boat Festival. It was a race event (and so much more!) for dragon boat teams of breast cancer survivors. This is the third festival/competition that’s been held like this and I’ve been extremely lucky to have been at two of them. The first was held in 2005 to celebrate ten years of dragon boating by breast cancer survivors - which started with Abreast in a Boat in Vancouver, Canada. Dr. Don Mackenzie started a study with breast cancer patients to see if physical activity actually caused harm to those who had gone through mastectomy. It was widely believed at the time that activity would increase the chances of, or aggravate existing Lymphadema, which is a swelling of the arm that can be extremely uncomfortable. Dr. Don’s study with the girls from Abreast in a Boat proved that physical activity HELPS and does not harm. It was an honor to listen to his inspiring speech at the Peterborough event. You would have thought a “ROCK GOD” walked into the room when he was introduced! This man has changed the lives of thousands and thousands of women all over the world. That was plain to see at the Peterborough gala dinner when he spoke about his dreams for the future of dragon boating for those affected by other diseases, and passing on our love of the sport.

There were a total of about 72 teams of breast cancer survivors. That means EVERY SINGLE person in the boat has battled breast cancer. Even the steersperson and drummer. Some events let a non-breast cancer person do these tasks, and I strongly feel that the entire boat should be filled with those who’ve fought breast cancer. Our team from Saskatoon (www.bustingwithenergy.com) is entirely made up of breast cancer survivors and fighers. We have members who are fresh out of chemo and others, who like me, are metastatic. I’m an Honorary Member and proud of it. Even though I’m not able to be in the boat I FEEL like I’m in it when our girls are paddling their hearts out.  Soon they’ll be racing here on our home turf and I hope to be able to go cheer them on. For now here are some photographic memories from Peterborough, 2010 as seen through my camera lens and the lens of my friend Mike.