WE PARTICIPATE IN THE FIERCE FAST FURIOUS SPORT OF DRAGON BOAT RACING WITH A COMPETITIVE SPIRIT. IN DOING SO, WE PROMOTE BREAST CANCER AWARENESS AND THE EARLY DETECTION OF BREAST CANCER ESPECIALLY IN YOUNGER WOMEN AND MEN.
OUR CLUB INVITES BREAST CANCER SURVIVORS - BOTH MALE AND FEMALE – AND THEIR SUPPORTERS, TO JOIN US IN THE DRAGON BOAT ASSOCIATION, REGISTERED AS DRAGON BOAT S.A., AS ONE OF THEIR 10 CLUBS IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA.
DRAGON BOAT PADDLING WAS FIRST INTRODUCED TO BREAST CANCER SURVIVORS IN 1996 IN VANCOUVER CANADA. DR. DON MACKENZIE FROM THE SPORTS INSTITUTE OF VANCOUVER TOOK A GROUP OF SURVIVORS OUT ON THE WATER IN A DRAGON BOAT. THE EXERCISE OF PADDLING HELPED REDUCE LYMPHOEDEMA (THE SWELLING OF THE ARM AFTER SURGERY) AND THEIR PARTICIPATION IN THIS SPORT GAVE THE WOMEN INSPIRATION TO CELEBRATE LIFE.
SOME OF OUR FOUNDING MEMBERS OF ASA Inc. ARE FROM THE “ORIGINALS” OF THE FIRST BREAST CANCER SURVIVOR TEAM IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA IN 2001. WE ALSO HAVE A MALE BREAST CANCER SURVIVOR IN OUR CLUB (1% OF ALL DIAGNOSED BREAST CANCER OCCURS IN MALES).
WE HAVE HELPED MOTIVATE AND INSPIRE THE FIRST MALAYSIAN TEAMS OF SURVIVORS TO PADDLE IN DRAGON BOATS IN KUALA LUMPUR AND PENANG.
SOME OF OUR PADDLERS HAVE TRAVELLED TO COMPETE IN ROME, CAPE TOWN, PENANG AND VANCOUVER, SINGAPORE AND NATIONALLY IN QUEENSLAND, ACT, SYDNEY AND VICTORIA OVER THE LAST 5 YEARS WITH A SWAG OF MEDALS TO THEIR CREDIT.
DURING BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH IN AUSTRALIA WE PARTICIPATE IN BREAST CANCER AWARENESS EVENTS TO PROMOTE OUR CAUSE.
WE HAVE SUPPORTED THE SCIENTIFIC WORK OF DR. SALLY STEPHENSON AT THE QEH’s S.A. MEDICAL RESEARCH TRUST, IN THE RESEARCH FOR A CURE FOR BREAST CANCER. SALLY HAS PADDLED IN OUR BOAT AS A SUPPORTER AND WE HAVE ALSO CONTRIBUTED TO THE MARJORIE NELSON JACKSON LEUKEMIA FOUNDATION.
WE TRAIN ON WEST LAKES, at “WEST LAKES CANOE CLUB”, BOWER ROAD, WEST LAKES 2-3 TIMES A WEEK ALL YEAR ROUND. OUR ALLOCATED TRAINING TIMES ARE TUESDAYS 6pm & THURSDAYS 6.00pm & SATURDAYS 3.00pm
WE HAVE AN URGE TO CELEBRATE LIFE, WE WANT TO GET FIT AND HAVE FUN…
INCORPORATING A COMPETITIVE SPIRIT.
