Dragon. Diva.
These two words sound like they could be the next blockbuster animated princess movie: the Diva, taken hostage by a fire-breathing Dragon, must learn some great truth about herself, and in doing so (with music coming to a cresecendo). . . . well, you get the idea.
There is no need to wait for the movie-making giants to produce this film when there are real-life Dragon Diva stories that exist in the Twin Cities!
Located on Lake Gervais in Little Canada, the Dragon Divas are a group of women who meet to support each other while learning to paddle and compete in dragon boat races locally and around the world.
Their Asian inspired boats:
The Dragon Divas themselves:
These women have two things in common: a breast cancer diagnosis and a desire to remain strong and healthy despite this diagnosis. They gain and maintain physical fitness through dragon boating.
In 2005, after learning about groundbreaking research demonstrating that dragon boating breast cancer patients had no increase in clinical lymphedema symptoms, Mary Skrypek, a physical therapist specializing in lymphedema, decided to start her own team, if only to “show my own children that breast cancer was not going to change my level of activity and quality of life.” What started as a small group of women wanting to be active together has grown to almost 100 participants of all ages and ability levels!
Firefly Guide Gwen Marion joined the Dragon Divas after hearing about it from her Firefly Sister, whom she was mentoring. She joined to “get out there and stay active,” and has found support both on and off the water. “I really like that the Dragon Divas involve more than just myself, that my husband could be a part of (the Dragon Divas) too, as a supporter during competitions and as a fundraiser. He feels like part of the group.”
To Mary, the most important part of dragon boating is that it “empowers each survivor to step in and control at least one aspect of their breast cancer experience: their level of exercise, which we know increases life expectancy following a diagnosis.”
Participants are encouraged to be active in the group’s social activities, practices, off-season workouts, and competitions at their own discretion, with the understanding that each survivor’s priorities change after a breast cancer diagnosis.
With dragon boating, Mary finds “You can breathe in the fresh air while boating and breathe out the stress, desperation, and uncertainty that accompanies a breast cancer diagnosis.”
For more information:
Dragon Divas website, click HERE.
MPR video about Dragon Divas, click HERE.
Research on Exercise and Lymphodema:
- Abreast in a Boat—a race against breast cancer by Dr. Donald C. McKenzie
- Once a Taboo, Exercise Becomes Post-Cancer-Surgery Rehab Tool by Janet Weiner
Research on physical activity and life expectancy following breast cancer diagnosis.
- Fitness: Can Exercise Lengthen Survival in Patients With Cancer? By Dr. Barrie R. Cassileth
- Randomized trial of exercise therapy in women treated for breast cancer. By A.J. Daley
Thank you, Dragon Divas, for inspiring breast cancer survivors to be active!
Written by Amy Tix, Firefly Staffer and breast cancer survivor, who is intrigued by this group of breast cancer survivors! Go Divas!
This Is Living With Cancer