Dragon Boat for donation
Hello everyone, Dragons Abreast Bendigo have purchased a new Dragon Boat and wish to donate their existing boat to any community wishing to start up a Dragon Boat Team for Breast Cancer survivors. We have had many years of fun with our boat attending regattas all over Australia. Dragon boating has been proven worldwide by physiotherapists to be the best healthy outdoor exercise for women who have experienced lymphodema after breast surgery. As well as enjoying the outdoors exercise we have lots of fun and have made friends all over Australia. If you would like more information please contact Jennie Mathews on 0447 543 133 or mathewsaj502@gmail.com
Dragon Boating fun
Today my colleagues and I (as Radiation Therapists) participated in our first dragon boat race day as part of Tasmanias Dragons Abreast corporate day to raise money for breast cancer. We came 4th overall out of 18 teams. I also participated in the flowers on the water ceremony for cancer survivors whic hb was very moving. We managed to put together a video of the day: https://www.facebook.com/allie.grimshaw/videos/10222637504988645/ ;
Friday Update!
A big hello to everyone. Welcome to the Friday Update. This week we have 29 new members. Please welcome @Pickles, @minty, @tommo, @rosieree, and all our new members. I had the pleasure of spending the last week in Newcastle and Sydney with the BCNA team for our Information Forums. The highlights, putting faces to names, meeting some incredible women, men and their supporters as well as introducing people to the online network. Thank you to everyone who attended. Community highlights Have you seen the Best Of feed? This is collection of some of the best liked content in the online network as curated by you, the members. When enough members click the Like and Awesome reaction buttons on a post, the post goes on to appear in Best Of. Check it out here. Yesterday, 13 October, was Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness Day. Our member Karen Cowley, who is living with metastatic breast cancer, shared her powerful story. Click here to read I’m Not Cancer but Cancer is a Part of Me. On this day, BCNA released a new edition of Hope & Hurdles, a free information resource for women and men living with metastatic breast cancer. Find out more here. You might have seen some spam recently in the online network. While we have measures in places to prevent non-human spam bots from getting through, human spammers occasionally can still get through. Just like you, they registered, confirmed their accounts, logged in, and posted. We put some new filters in place to try and curb them. If you spot any spam (or anything that seems suspicious), please don’t respond to it and do report it. Every post has a flag button so don’t be afraid to use it. News & events As you know, October is Everything Awareness Month, as @InkPetal said. For us, it’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month. We’ve got a social media campaign going on called Breast Cancer Doesn’t Discriminate. It features our members sharing their stories to help raise awareness. The response has been amazing and it has prompted more people to share their own stories about breast cancer. If you haven’t seen them, check out our Facebook page. For those of you in NSW, The Dragons Abreast Festival will be taking place on Saturday 22nd October at Cockel Bay, Darling Harbour, Sydney. Experience the excitement of paddling and witness the very moving “Flowers on the Water” Ceremony. For more information visit Dragons Abreast Australia. Our partners and supporters BCNA is fortunate to have partners and supporters that help us ensure we deliver our programs and services free of charge to Australians affected by breast cancer. This month, we’ve partnered with a number of wonderful businesses who are selling pink products for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. A percentage of the sales of all these items go to BCNA. Earth Bottles Australia The Finishing Touch First Class Hampers Yates - Dianthus Blush Pink Seeds Yabby Lake Liv Suede BCNA bike Spa Wellness Travel BCNA is also delighted to partner with the Brisbane Racing Club for their Caulfield Cup Day Raceday to raise awareness and funds to help support Australians affected by breast cancer. We will be hosting a stylish cocktail function in the fabulous Birdcage Marquee which offers fantastic views of the course and is close to all the racing action. For more information and to book your spot, please click visit the event website. Do you, your partner, kids, or grandchildren play sports? Whether it’s footy, cricket, gymnastics, netball, bowls club or something else, turn your club pink and help support BCNA. Host a Pink Sports Day and you’ll be raising vital funds that help BCNA provide crucial support services to Australians affected by breast cancer. It’s free for clubs to participate and BCNA will provide you with a great Pink Sports Day Event Pack with everything you need. For more information, visit our Pink Sports Day page. I don’t know about you, but I’m looking forward to a weekend of rest and relaxation. What have you got going on this weekend? Whatever it is, I hope it’s a good one. Ann-Marie x
Dragons Abreast Canberra come and try dragonboating session 3 November 2018
Getting on with life after breast cancer? Come and try dragon boating with Dragons Abreast Canberra for fitness, fun and camaraderie Date: 9am Saturday 3 November 2018 Location: Lotus Bay, off Alexandrina Drive Yarralumla, Canberra Time: Meet at the boats at 9am. There will be some pre water instruction then a half hour paddle Paperwork: You will need to complete a DB ACT Temporary Membership Form on the day or download from dbact.com.au and complete beforehand. What to wear: 3/4 pants, T shirt, shoes that can get wet (eg crocs or old sneakers), hat, sunglasses and a change of clothes. Sunscreen and a water bottle are essential. paddle and personal flotation device (PFD) will be available. Cost: First 3 trial paddles are free Enquiries and RSVP: canberra@dragonsabreast.com.au 0421 592 613, 0407 908 472 or 0439 462 253 www.dragonsabreast.com.au
Our Logo
The yellow twisted loop that ends in a dragon head - this represents the dragon spirit and its embrace of the women as it encircles them. The bright yellow colour represents life and hope. The pink ladies - the grouping of the women together represents the strength we gain from each other and the fact that we are not alone on our journey with breast cancer. The multiple pink ladies are also an extension of the silhouette figures which are planted at the Field of Women and have gone on to become the current logo of the BCNA of which Dragons Abreast is a member group. The blue waves - represents the boat and the water on which we paddle. We are proud to wear our logo and of the meaning of it.
12 months later
Well 12 months on from surgery (21/3/12). Feeling quite good, but still get quite tired. Still have the odd thought of.... will it come back. Hair is growing back. Already had my first haircut. Now have decided - short hair it is. No more bob, and no more straightening irons. Life is too short to be standing in the bathroom. Boob is still sore, and arm and armpit still sore as well. Will take a while to recover. Still doing exercises to help. Massaging as well.. Started dragon boat racing with some fantastic friends. A little un-co-ordinated, but will get there. Absolutely enjoying it though. Have met some "older" ladies that put me to shame. They are so fit. Need to try and keep up. Have breakfast/lunch with cherished, fantastic friends I have met from this site. We catch up nearly every Friday to chat, laugh and just listen. My work at the moment is part time - 4 days/week. Maybe this may set a new me - cherish times for myself. Work isn't everything. Family life is - well what can I say.... FANTASTIC. Husband and two adorable boys. They just help me with everything. Without them, I just don't know. Life.... well.... seeing that in a totally different way. I'm not worrying about the small stuff, the stuff I can't fix or change. Not worrying about work. Not worrying about whether I have finished something. Not worrying about money. Health is more important.... Life is now, reflecting on the beautiful things around me. Doing what I like to do. Enjoying my family and true friends. Saying a big thankyou to you all, for your blogs that I have read, whether sad or happy. That is what life is all about really. just taking in. I wonder what the next 12 months will bring?
