St. Albert resident Valerie Behiels remembers the moment she completed her cancer treatment in 2014, commemorating the occasion with a celebratory river cruise in Europe. Two years later, she embarked on a different kind of water adventure, becoming a member of the "Breast Friends" dragon boat team.
"I joined Breast Friends in 2016,” says Behiels, a retired teacher. “A number of us from St. Albert are members, in fact, about 16% of the total 81 members of the Breast Friends Society reside in St. Albert.”
The dragon boat team, established in 1998, was inspired by a documentary detailing the benefits of dragon boat racing for breast cancer survivors. Over the past 25 years, the team's mission has remained the same: "To spread awareness and hope in a dragon boat".
"Each member of our team proves that life can be full, vigorous, and filled with joy after a diagnosis of breast cancer," Behiels said. "Each person has a place on the team and supports each other, not only in the sport but also in our personal lives, bringing us closer as a team."
But the Breast Friends is more than just a support group. They are athletes committed to their sport, training in the gym three times a week from February before transitioning to the North Saskatchewan River in May.
"Dragon boating is a 22-person, human-powered watercraft sport that can be pursued by anyone, of any age or ability," Behiels said. The group’s current members range in age from their mid 30’s to late 70’s. "We also race women’s open class races, against young, fit, little whippersnappers!"
The Breast Friends' dedication to their sport extends beyond local waters. After sending a crew to the International Breast Cancer Paddlers Commission Festival in New Zealand in April, the team is preparing for festivals in Lethbridge, Nanaimo, Calgary, Montreal, and hopefully an Edmonton area one-day Festival in August.
Beyond the thrill of competition, being a part of the Breast Friends team offers tangible health benefits for its members.
“In the past, breast cancer survivors were discouraged from doing any upper body exercise, due to concerns about lymphedema,” said Behiels, noting that beliefs have changed since then.
“In 1996, Dr. Don McKenzie, began a clinical study and used dragon boating as a case study. They found that the benefits of exercise, both during and after cancer treatment far outweigh any risks.
Training for dragon boat racing demands strength, coordination, and endurance. The team members, under the guidance of their coach, have each experienced their share of challenges and triumphs in pushing their physical limits.
"Every time we get into a dragon boat and give it our all, we prove to ourselves, our families, our supporters, and everyone watching that breast cancer survivors can do it," Behiels said.
"Every year, we have a new group of members, whom we lovingly refer to as ‘newbies’, to watch these members grow from being unsure of what they have committed to, both physically and emotionally, when we start in the gym in February, and seeing the smiles and empowerment on their faces after their first paddling experience in a dragon boat on the North Saskatchewan River is incredibly rewarding for everyone, veterans and newbies alike.
Breast Friends also provides a sense of community and camaraderie. From carpooling to accommodation-sharing at festivals, the team's activities have fostered incredibly strong relationships among its members.
But perhaps the most impactful aspect of the Breast Friends' journey is the message it sends to the wider community about resilience and living beyond a cancer diagnosis.
"We are hoping to provide awareness and hope in a dragon boat, and prove to anyone who may be facing their own personal health struggles, that they are so much more than their diagnosis, it has not defined them; it has given them opportunities they would never have experienced….paddling is our silver lining," Behiels said.
