Six paddlers from the local dragon boat club joined forces with breast cancer survivors from Camden Haven and Penrith to form the Dragons Abreast Team, Miss B Haven, and hit the water in Queensland recently.
Spokeswoman Sharon Pullan said, apart from having a great holiday at Caloundra, the crew attended drumming, sweeping and coaching workshops before a round robin of racing on the Kawana Lakes regatta complex.
Pullan said Saturday arrived sunny but with strong winds, but all voted to go ahead with the regatta and brave the choppy conditions.
“Our team Miss B Haven came in third in all our heats and in the final we were told no drummers on the boats and only male, well accredited sweeps would steer the boats.
“We were thrilled to come in second in our group but the highlight of the day for all survivors is the Flowers on the Water ceremony. Eight boats were loaded with survivors all in pink but, due to tricky conditions on the water, the ceremony was held on the beach.
“It was a special privilege to be in the boats for this very emotional and special ceremony and many a tear was shed for us all and especially paddlers who have not survived the breast cancer journey. It is not really a journey which implies going out and having a good time, but rather it is a trip of immense strain, pain and not knowing if all the treatment will stop the cancer coming back.
“I guess we call it a journey because, along the way, we meet the most incredible men and women. Dragon boating has given us all something very special, it is part of our network of support and, along the way, we have great adventures and I can only say what a wonderful part it has played in my life since being diagnosed in 2005.”
Many of the survivors have been through the breast cancer journey more than once, Pullan said, as is the case with team member Nona Byrnes who had breast cancer many years ago and then in December last year was diagnosed again.
“She has overcome some great obstacles to still be paddling and no one in our team works as hard as Nona, she is an inspiration to us all,” Pullan said.
Paddlers came from all over for this National Dragons Abreast Australia Event. There were teams from Devonpport and Hobart in Tasmania, Melbourne, Ballarat and Gippsland, Dubbo, Wagga Wagga, Albury/Wadonga, Coffs Harbour, Woollongong, Newcastle and, of course, many teams from Queensland.
Teams from the Sunshine Coast provided the (wrecked) gazebos and the boats and they included Bribie Island, Brisbane, Redcliffe – so many teams from so many places and all in a dazzling array of pink outfits.
There were supporters among the survivors and they too raced and took part in all the activities and the composite team came in second in their final.
After the presentation where all paddlers received a medal of participation, the trophies for this inaugural national regatta were handed out and then it was onto the coaches to take participants back to the hotels and then it was time to pretty up in pink for the gala dinner and dancing extravaganza.
“The weather was as foul as it could be but it certainly did not dampen any paddlers’ enthusiasm to get out on the water and have a real go,” Pullan said.
