Breast cancer survivors have found one more way to take charge of their lives and their health, and show what they can do – dragon boating.
There was an official launch of dragon boating for breast cancer survivors by the Trinidad and Tobago Dragon Boat Federation (TTDBF) on May 14 at MovieTowne, Port of Spain. International Breast Cancer Paddlers’ Commission (IBCPC) president Meri Gibson, who had been diagnosed and treated for cervical, ovarian and breast cancer over the years, was there to share her experience and explain the benefits.
These benefits include feelings of camaraderie, a sense of renewed fitness and health, opportunities to promote awareness of a full and enjoyable life after breast cancer, and enhanced self-confidence and control of one’s life.
The Embracing All Real Survivors Cancer Support Foundation (Ears) has already started one team and, so far, has ten members. But Gibson would like to see at least three teams of 20 coming out of Trinidad and Tobago.
[caption id="attachment_957206" align="alignnone" width="683"] Correne Michelle O'Kieffe, director and founder of Embracing All Real Surivors. - SUREASH CHOLAI[/caption]
Correne Michelle O’Kieffe, director of Ears, believes it would help raise breast cancer awareness and show that, even after being diagnosed, breast cancer survivors could live well and enjoy life.
O’Kieffe told WMN that about a decade ago the TTDBF tried to create a similar team but it was not sustained. Then, early last year, the federation contacted Ears about the possibility of creating a breast cancer dragon boat team and told its members about the IBCPC as well as other dragon boat organisations.
She said, at that point, the Pan American Dragon Boat Federation was already in discussions with the commission about forming a breast cancer team.
So, the Ears members decided to try it and had their first test run in May 2021.
“When we went out there and did our first session, we felt the energy, we enjoyed it, we definitely wanted to do it.”
The women were excited to proceed but covid19 restrictions stopped them from doing so. The presidents of the Pan American and TT federations, Franco Siu Chong and Keith Dalip respectively, kept encouraging and supporting them.
[caption id="attachment_957203" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Meri Gibson (centre, standing), president of the International Breast Cancer Paddlers Commission, with members of Embracing All Real Surivors, before heading out in a dragon boat in Chaguaramas. - SUREASH CHOLAI[/caption]
As a result, the TT federation included the position of chairperson of the breast cancer survivors committee on its executive and appointed O’Kieffe in early April, this year.
“I encouraged them to create the position to have someone responsible for creating the breast cancer team. Because of the involvement of the team with IBCPC it needs to have someone who could relate to the experience of breast cancer survivors. Of course I didn’t expe
