I survived breast cancer. Now I race dragon boats for Team USA.
A sport rooted in ancient Chinese traditions and legends dating more than 2,000 years has changed my life in recent years, helping me to make new friends and to connect with other breast cancer survivors.
In 2019, my husband and I were preparing to spend our winters in Jupiter, Florida. Since I was in my 50s, I spoke with a friend and fellow breast cancer survivor about how difficult it would be to make new friends at my age.
She mentioned that dragon boating is an activity that many breast cancer survivors enjoy. I had never heard of the sport, but I thought it might be interesting. I joined a local team, the Hell Gate Sea Dragons, and met an amazing group of friends.
Dragon boats resemble extremely large canoes, usually with 10 or 20 paddlers, a steerer in the back and a drummer in front to help keep the paddlers in rhythm. For competitions and other formal occasions, the boats are painted and decorated to look like dragons.
The sport has become increasingly popular in recent years in the United States and around the world.
Teamwork is essential in dragon boat racing
Teamwork is one of the most critical aspects of the sport. Everyone must work together to move the boats forward, so there are no individual stars on a team.
I loved the sport instantly. And was so committed to it, that I joined Hope Afloat, a team in my hometown of Philadelphia, as soon as I came back for the summer so I could paddle year-round.
The reason why so many breast cancer survivors are drawn to the sport can be traced to the research of Dr. Don McKenzie, a sports medicine physician and exercise physiologist at the University of British Columbia. In 1996, he and other doctors in Vancouver challenged the commonly held medical opinion that strenuous exercise could be detrimental to breast cancer survivors.
The doctors set up a group of survivors to participate in a six-month dragon boat training program to dispel this myth. Not only did the researchers prove that strenuous exercise did not harm breast cancer survivors, they also demonstrated that it helped the women physically and mentally.
Since then, breast cancer survivors have been a driving force in the growth of dragon boating, with more than 260 teams worldwide representing 33 countries.
Opinion: I did all the 'right' things to avoid breast cancer. Our medical system fell short.
Breast cancer survivors join international competition
The International Breast Cancer Paddlers' Commission was established in 2010 and has been instrumental in growing this movement worldwide. It has helped shift the view that paddling is solely a therapeutic activity for survivors to their acceptance as a respected and competitive part of the dragon boating community.
This year, the International Dragon Boat Federation's World Championships will be July 14 to July 20 in Bradenburg an der Havel, Germany, with more than 4,950 paddlers and 33 nations competing.
And this year for the first time, breast cancer survivors will compete in their own division.
I was excited about possibly competing in the event but also scared.
But in April, I set aside my fear and decided to try out for a spot on the team. The weeklong tryouts were an unforgettable experience, filled with determination, camaraderie and personal growth. Each day was packed with rigorous training and time trials that pushed us to our limits, both physically and mentally.
Being selected for Team USA was just the beginning. We have continued to prepare ourselves physically and mentally for the competition.
As I prepared to leave for Germany, I reflected on what it means to me to be part of this historic event. Beyond the strokes and sweat, it was the friendships I have made that have made this opportunity so special.
Being chosen for Team USA as a breast cancer paddler is an extraordinary honor that goes far beyond athletic achievement. It is a celebration of strength, survival and the unwavering spirit of women who have faced one of life's toughest battles and emerged with courage and determination.
Your Turn: What does patriotism mean to you? Here's what readers told us. | Opinion Forum
Wearing the red, white and blue is not just about representing a country − it's about representing every survivor who has ever paddled through fear, pain and doubt to reclaim her body and her life.
As a member of this team, you carry the hopes and pride of a global community, proving that life after cancer can be powerful, vibrant and fiercely competitive.
It is a testimony to the idea that survivorship is not an ending, but a beginning. And that together we can rise, paddle strong and show the world what it truly means to thrive.
Betty Becker, a retired teacher and school administrator, splits her time between Philadelphia and Jupiter, Florida. Since getting involved in dragon boat racing, she has paddled in New Zealand, Canada, the Bahamas and the Czech Republic. She plans to paddle in Greece this fall.
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