Paddling Through Recovery

PRINCE GEORGE – They’re all in the same boat. Members of the North Breast Passage have more in common than their love for paddling. Originally to be a part of the team you had to have been diagnosed with breast cancer. Now, the team welcomes anyone who has fought, is fighting or wants to support a loved one affected by the disease. President of the paddling team, Barbara Old explains what’s so great about being a part of the group.

“For me, it was about being in the dragon boat but it as also about being with a group of women who understood what I was going through. And we don’t talk about cancer, it doesn’t come up all the time but you know, we all know if we want to talk about it there is someone who has been through it to listen. So for me it was great support to be with a group of women but not being focused on cancer, being focused on something healthy.”

The team is lead by their coach Anita Kashmark and steersperson Grant Roden and consists of teammates aged 30 to 80 years old. Practice runs twice a week for the group starting up after the May long weekend and running until the second weekend in September. Each year they put their practice to the test by travelling to one chosen festival and the team admits they don’t care what place they come in as long as they cross the finish line together. 

Back before 1996, many patients were told to take it easy if they had breast cancer, a mastectomy or lymph node removal as their arms would be too weak for exercise. But in the year of 1996, a sports medicine professional out of the University of British Columbia, Dr Don Mckenzie had a different idea.