The Plaza of Nations in Vancouver was rocking last Saturday night as 1,600 breast cancer survivors took to the dance floor.
With fishnet stockings, pink boas, loud cheering by fellow paddlers from Sunshine Dragons and lots of pizzazz, the Sunshine Dragons Abreast team forgot how tired they were from their two days of paddling. As Beth Ellis, one of the paddlers, said later of the party, "It was so vibrant - that sea of pink, full of good energy!"
The brand new team from the Sunshine Coast was participating in the international Abreast In A Boat regatta celebrating the creation of the first breast cancer dragon boat team. There are now 112 teams worldwide, and 62 of them were in Vancouver last weekend from Italy, Poland, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, U.S. and Canada.
When Susanne Jorgenson was chosen to be one of 130 paddlers representing her dragon boat team in a special global race on Sunday, she didn't realize what an emotional event it would be.
"I paddled with a woman from Portland and decided to give her my necklace. When I told her the story that goes with it she began to cry," said Jorgenson.
What Jorgenson didn't know at the time was the team from Portland had heard that morning that one of their members had passed away from breast cancer. She was supposed to paddle with them in the Vancouver event but had become too ill at the last minute.
Each member of the new Sunshine Coast Dragons Abreast team was given a necklace by the Gibsons Paddle Club. They are a First Nations tradition, symbolizing protection, and are meant to be passed on to someone special.
There were many other stories: Elaine Seepish gave hers to a friend on the Chemo Savvy Team from Winnipeg whom she hadn't seen for 20 years. Sue Clyde gave hers to a blind paddler from New Zealand. Gillian Kydd's necklace went to one of the "Cape Breasteners" whose cancer has returned.
Emotions were raw for all the participants and their supporters when the traditional flower ceremony followed the global race. After a period of silence, thousands of pink carnations were thrown into False Creek from the dragon boats and by those watching. Each flower was in memory of someone who is no longer with us because of breast cancer. The event that began on Friday and went all weekend was also a time to celebrate a remarkable phenomenon that began ten years ago when the first breast cancer dragon boat team was formed in Vancouver. The idea spread all around the world; there are now 112 teams. Dr. Don McKenzie from UBC created a research project in 1995 to find out if upper body exercise would increase the likelihood of lymphodema (swelling of the arm) in breast cancer patients who had lymph nodes removed. Previously, patients had been told by their doctors not to exercise or to do repetitive movement because of this fear. "Dr. Don" proved them wrong as the dragon boaters got stronger and stronger and as more and more survivors took up the sport.
The Sunshine Dragons Abreast team was formed this year on the Sunshine Coast and practises in Porpoise Bay. Their trip to Vancouver was made possible by a grant from the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation and sponsorship from the IGA Marketplace stores in Wilson Creek and Gibsons. As coach Carol Standfield wrote to her team, "What a great weekend we had. I am so proud of all of you. What you have accomplished in just three months is incredible. It certainly was a weekend to remember - sunshine, laughter, families and friends, tears and a great team spirit."
The team is made up of mostly new paddlers. They made it to the championship race of the E event. What will stay with them is the joy of being with so many other survivors who have grabbed onto life with both hands and the realization that they too can take on the world.
