From Lakeside News
HEADLINES
Breast cancer survivors compete in International Dragon Boat Festival
By Pamela A. Keene
May 10, 2005, 08:50
From Surviving to Thriving ... That’s the motto of Dragon Boat Atlanta, a team of breast cancer survivors who began paddling together nearly 15 months ago to raise awareness of breast cancer.
In late June the team of 22 women will travel to Vancouver for the 10th Annual Celebration of Abreast in a Boat at an international festival that will bring together nearly 100 teams of breast cancer survivors from around the world.
Members of the team are currently seeking funding from the community to help pay for the trip. Several Gainesville and North Georgia women are participating on the team.
Most Sundays starting at 2 p.m., members of Dragon Boat Atlanta gather at the Lake Lanier Olympic Center in Gainesville to practice for the competition, provide support for each other and enjoy the common bond cancer survivorship. The team includes students, grandmothers, business executives and educators.
"This is about much more than paddling," said Beverly Booth, team leader and cancer survivor. "When many of us were diagnosed, we thought our lives were over. Now we know that we can live full and active lives, even after breast cancer. We paddle for fun; it’s great exercise and it’s a way to share the knowledge that there is quality of life after breast cancer. We’re determined to survive."
Helen Ray, vice president of academic affairs at Brenau University, is also a member of the team. "Paddling has been such a rewarding experience," she said. "We are building a strong bond of friendship and we’re helping people see that we can truly enjoy life."
The dragon boat is a fiberglass or teak boat measuring 39 to 48 feet long by 4 feet wide by 18 inches deep. Teams of 20 paddlers sit two abreast with a steer person in the back and a drummer in the front. The race boats are designed as replicas of colorful Chinese dragon boats used more than 2000 years ago. Dragon Boat racing is the fastest growing water sport activity in the world.
"Bringing together all these women is an inspiration," Booth said. "When we come together, we know we’re not alone; we share a common bond. But we also work together toward a common goal of hitting our rhythm and being a team as we paddle."
The Hong Kong Association of Atlanta provides the use of its boats and equipment.
Any woman with a history of breast cancer is welcome to join the team, regardless of age, size, or fitness level. The timing of all the paddlers working together, in unison, is more important than paddlers with strength or know-how.
For more information about dragon boating and breast cancer, please contact Beverly Booth at bb1249@bellsouth.net or 404-843-1266 or visit www.dragonboatatlanta.org.
© Copyright 2003 by Lakesidenews.com
