Paddlers Receive PFDs
April-May 2005
This is an article from WaveLength Magazine, available in print in North America and globally on the web.
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Ocean River Sports’ Brian Henry, left, and Aqua-Lung Canada’s Steve Sharples, right, flank the proud women of the Island Breaststrokers paddling club |
One day, John Gardner, the General Manager and part owner of Aqua- Lung Canada Ltd., was flipping through the paper and noticed a picture of a group of women dragon boaters who didn’t appear to be wearing PFDs during their races. He contacted Joan Fox, President of Island Breaststrokers to question why this was happening. Fox explained that the women are all breast cancer survivors and find standard PFDs uncomfortable to wear due to recent cancer treatments. This news prompted Gardner to do something about the situation, resulting in a remarkable partnership between companies and a new sponsor for the Island Breaststrokers.
Gardner consulted Fox to determine which PFD would be safe and comfortable for the women to wear. Aqua-Lung’s supplier and designer Stohlquist, in partnership with Ocean River Sports, agreed to donate 50 ‘BetSea’ PFDs, enough to supply two teams of dragon boaters consisting of 22 paddlers, a coach and a steersman.
On February 9, 18 members of the Island Breaststrokers were on hand at Ocean River Sports in downtown Victoria to receive the donated PFDs. “It’s next to impossible to put on a lifejacket while in the water,” said Brian Henry, owner of Ocean River. We’ve demonstrated this time and again to our students in our kayak lessons.”
Steve Sharples of Aqua-Lung demonstrated how the Stohlquist PFDs are different. “For those of you unfamiliar with breast cancer, the lymph nodes have to be taken out of the armpit, wreaking havoc under the arm and causing scarring,” said Sharples, whose own wife battled breast cancer and is now an avid outrigger canoeist. “These PFDs will not ride up under the arm and have had cups inserted into them, specifically designed for women.”
This courageous group of women share not only the trauma of surviving breast cancer, but also the love of dragon boating. At the Ocean River event, all of them spoke with passion and excitement about their chosen sport. The group ranges in age from 35 to 88, and practises twice a week. They participate in at least five dragon boat festivals throughout the summer, including one that is specifically for cancer survivors. Last year, 90 boats entered the Victoria Dragon Boat Festival of which 13 were breast cancer survivor boats.
Eve Pemberton, the senior member on the team at age 88, recently broke her foot from a fall off a stepladder. “But that won’t prevent me from getting into a dragon boat. I just love it—the ocean, the waves, and even through the dark and the rain. It makes us feel alive,” said Pemberton.
Many women talked about the therapeutic effect of dragon boating. They like joining up with women who have gone through the same thing. “Some women paddle while receiving treatment, with no hair,” said Marjorie Woodroffe, founding member of Island Breaststrokers in 1997.
Dr. Don McKenzie, sports medicine physician and exercise physiologist at the University of BC started the first dragon boat team in Vancouver for survivors of breast cancer. He says that dragon boating is therapeutic and that upper body exercise may prove helpful in the treatment and prevention of lymphedema.
Due to the initiative of these local companies, the Island Breaststrokers can continue to engage in dragon boating in safety and comfort.
Paddle hard!
© Carrie Moffatt is Office Administrator with the PacificSport National Cycling Centre in Victoria, BC. For further information, see:
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