Breast cancer survivors go dragon boat racing
2006-08-10
THREE women from Paarl are members of a South African team, the Amabele Belles, who want to compete in the first ever Breast Cancer Survivor Dragon Boat World Championships in Singapore in September this year.
The three are Minette van der Walt, Nerine de Jongh and Juanita Jacobs.
Dragon boat racing for breast cancer survivors was started by a doctor in Canada in 1996 to prove that upper body exercise in post-mastectomy patients is not only possible, but beneficial, emotionally and physically.
It has been such a success that there are over 100 dragon boat teams world wide.
The South African team has already helped all its members, many of whom are still undergoing treatment, by giving them the mental strength to cope with the challenges of cancer.
In only three months their physical fitness has also dramatically improved.
Two attempts were made previously to put a team together, but the organisers were unable to find people in the oncological field to recruit for them.
This time they have two enthusiastic supporters from a pharmaceutical company helping recruit paddlers.
At their first paddle on 8 April they had a full boat with BCS ladies, some clinic staff, one surgeon and five paddlers from Paddlesnappers and Mujaji to help.
The team of thirty practise every Wednesday and Saturday at the Waterfront.
At the moment they are looking for sponsors for the trip to Singapore. In total, they need R300 000. Drakenstein Municipality sponsored R2000.
If you want to help, phone Juanita Jacobs on 864-9512 or e-mail Minette van der Walt at mvanderwalt@sun-world.com.
More
News
|
