The COVID-19 pandemic may have put a damper on its 25th Anniversary Celebration Weekend, which was scheduled for this past May, but the virus did not affect the spirit of the many organizers, women and survivors who make Abreast In A Boat such a success. While event plans have been put on hold until next year, Abreast In A Boat still has so much to celebrate.
From its beginnings in 1995 as a modest attempt to bring female breast cancer survivors together to raise awareness, Abreast In A Boat has grown over the years to become a major summer event in Vancouver.
Back then, 24 women aged 31-62, appeared at False Creek for their first session in a dragon boat. Then, and now, the only criteria required to join the group was a history of breast cancer. A preliminary meeting had laid out a training program in the gym and reviewed a plan to paddle in the Vancouver Festival in June of 1996.
“These very special women were not paddlers, but they were up to the challenge,” mentions Shelley Behr, a cancer survivor and participant of Abreast In A Boat. “This was not an issue. Once you have battled breast cancer, other challenges pale in comparison.”
As the initial group of paddlers progressed on the water, their confidence of the sport became rewarding and the rest was history.
Today, Abreast In A Boat is a registered charitable society whose mission is to demonstrate that those who have been diagnosed with breast cancer can live full, active and healthy lives. The organization has a strong commitment to enhancing breast cancer awareness and to support breast cancer research.
“For me personally, participating in Abreast In A Boat has opened the door to beautiful friendships and has formed countless support teams. As we paddle together, we also break the silence of cancer and encourage others to join,” says Shelley Behr, who outside of Abreast In A Boat works as a counsellor in Richmond, BC.
Like Shelley Behr, Ingrid Bates was a little apprehensive about paddling when she first joined Abreast In A Boat. As her launch on the water got closer, her anxiety was immediately put to ease when a fellow teammate welcomed her with open arms. Even though Ingrid was dragon boating for the first time, she knew all the women shared one thing in common: they had all fought or were fighting cancer.
“At several regattas, there are some wonderful ceremonies after a survivor race,” Ingrid comments. “The boats pull up to the shoreline, and everyone who is at the regatta line the whole beach. They all have a pink carnation, including the ladies in the boats. They go through a fight song, a talk and a moment of silence and everyone throws their pink carnations out into the water. It’s very moving and the first time I did it, it was amazing.” The stories of women who have benefited from Abreast In A Boat are countless.
“The 25th Anniversary of Abreast In A Boat is special to so many women cancer survivors. Not only does it reflect the success of the organization for all these years, it is also a true testament to the many brave women who have battled this disease. Some have won; others are no longer with us, but their memories will stay with us forever,” reflects Shelley Behr.
Prior to the coronavirus pandemic, Shelley and her teammates could often be found on the river. These days, paddling may be temporarily put on hold to mitigate the virus, but one thing is for sure, Shelley and her friends will be returning to the water as soon as they can.
Abreast In A Boat is a registered charitable organization founded in 1996 by Dr. Don McKenzie, a sports medicine physician and an exercise physiologist who also serves as a physician for Canada’s national canoe team.
