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It is with great pride that we introduce ourselves to you – The BreastStrokes Dragon Boat Racing Team. Our team consists of energetic, motivated, forward thinking women who have all experienced breast cancer first-hand. We paddle to support each other and to stay strong.

The Breaststrokes Dragon Boat Team formed in Guelph, Ontario, Canada in 1998. From early days using broomsticks to paddle in a (dry) church basement, the team now has our own dragon boat moored on scenic Guelph Lake. The Breaststrokes team works hard to promote awareness of health, life and laughter after breast cancer. We celebrate life through the pursuit of fitness and wellness, mutual support, community philanthropy, and competition in Dragon Boat Festival races. We believe any person with breast cancer who wishes to dragon boat paddle should have that opportunity, because together, we are all winners! Our goal is to honour the memory of those who have died of breast cancer and spread a message of hope to all people living life after a breast cancer diagnosis.

Team Training and Activities

Year ‘round, we keep fit in the gym and pool at the University of Guelph Athletics Centre under the capable guidance of our Coach Pat Richards. Pat is coordinator of the Lifestyle and Fitness Programs at the University of Guelph. During our off-season training program, we paddle pool-side, participate in vigorous aquafitness and gym workouts, develop friendships, and offer mutual support to stay healthy and fit. Our presence among the university population offers hope of a healthy life after breast cancer diagnosis and treatment. This is an important part of our team message and mandate.

Mary Visser Kerr is our hard-working team manager. Many members and their spouses help with boat care, transport, storage and maintenance. We have an amazing support network of husbands, families and friends, as well as the Guelph community, who have been touched by our life experience and the challenge it presents. We are so thankful for all those who help us everyday in our activities.

 

Activities:

In 2005, BreastStrokes fielded a full team, plus a half team combined with Ottawa (the Guelph – Ottawa “GO” team) to take part in Abreast In A Boat’s 10-year celebration in Vancouver, Canada. This amazing event was a very exciting highlight in BreastStrokes history, and we thank the Vancouver teams for graciously hosting survivors’ dragon boat teams from around the world. We wish to say a huge thank you to Dr. Don MacKenzie for starting the survivors’ dragon boat movement, and to all the organizers of this incredible event.

A number of BreastStrokes team members have international paddling experience. Four team members paddled with Canadians Abreast in New Zealand 2003 and one in South Africa 2004, Germany 2005, and Singapore 2006. We are working hard to field a team for Australia, 2007!

 

Our Team book: Paddling with the Dragon: Profiles of a breast cancer survivor team, was authored by Lynn Wills, with contributions from many of our paddlers.