Latest news with #DonMcKenzie
RNZ News
22-07-2025
- General
- RNZ News
Almost all sika deer culled in ambitious Russell Forest eradication project
Trailcam image of a sika hind at Ngaiotonga Reserve, south of Russell. Photo: DOC Just three sika deer remain in Russell Forest a year after an ambitious eradication project began, the Northland Regional Council says. Biosecurity group manager Don McKenzie said 64 deer had been removed so far along with about 500 goats. Any recoverable meat was distributed to local communities, he said. The Russell State Forest trial was launched in May 2024 at an estimated cost of $1.5 million. It was so far ahead of schedule and under budget. Critics have said local hunters should have been used, but McKenzie said experts with specialist equipment, such as thermal imaging drones, were required given the need to locate every last deer. The council earlier told RNZ the project, if successful in Russell Forest, could be expanded to the 13 other wild deer populations around Northland. A sika hind is captured by a trailcam in Russell State Forest. Photo: DOC Those populations were scattered between Kaiwaka, near the Auckland border, and the bush behind Kaitāia airport. The council said wild deer arrived in Northland in the 1980s and 1990s as a result of illegal releases and farm escapes. Unlike other parts of New Zealand, deer were not released in Northland by the acclimatisation societies of the 19th century, which meant numbers were still low enough to make eradication possible. Russell Forest had the region's only known population of sika deer, which were smaller and more elusive than the other species found around New Zealand. Earlier, Department of Conservation senior wild animal advisor Dave Carlton told RNZ deer had no natural predators in New Zealand, so numbers could grow rapidly. He said wild deer fed on forest plants, trees and seedlings, altering forest composition, removing food for native animals, and hindering regeneration. Carlton said Northland was the ideal region to aim for deer-free status because it was bordered by the sea on two sides and Auckland city on the other. Wild Deer Free Te Tai Tokerau is a partnership between the regional council, DOC, hapū and iwi - in this case Te Kapotai, Ngāti Kuta, Patukeha, Ngatiwai and hau kainga from Ngaiotonga - and the deer farming industry. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
USA Today
11-07-2025
- Health
- USA Today
I survived breast cancer. Now I race dragon boats for Team USA.
As a member of Team USA competing in the World Dragon Boat Racing Championships, I carry the hopes of a global community, proving life after cancer can be powerful, vibrant and fiercely competitive. 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.
Yahoo
16-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Dragon boat team of breast cancer survivors celebrates 30 years in Vancouver
Nearly 30 years after it first started in Vancouver, a team of breast cancer survivors will compete in the upcoming Concord Pacific Dragon Boat Festival. The Abreast In A Boat team was started by Vancouver doctor Don McKenzie in 1996 — initially as a six-month trial to show whether there was any evidence to back up a commonly held idea that was limiting the lives of breast cancer survivors. At the time, the scientific consensus was that those who'd had a mastectomy shouldn't be raising their arms over their heads, lifting heavy objects or exercising. Instead, the team demonstrated that not only was strenuous exercise possible for breast cancer survivors, but physical activity and a sense of belonging helped them in their recovery from cancer. Ahead of the dragon boating festival, which starts June 20 in False Creek, members of the team told CBC News about how the team changed their lives. 'I could trust my body' When Carol Dale signed up for the team in 1996, she was celebrating five years being cancer-free, and thought it was an interesting experiment worth trying. "It just turned out to be a fascinating year, learning a new skill, learning that I could trust my body again to work for me," she said. "And I met some wonderful people, and that's what keeps me going." Dale says there are now six teams in the Lower Mainland alone composed of breast cancer survivors, and dozens more in Canada and around the world. And, there's even an international commission encouraging the establishment of more dragon boat teams for those with breast cancer. Recovery ideas change Kristin Campbell, a professor at the University of British Columbia's department of physical therapy, says that when the team was first started in 1996, it was thought that repeated exercise would lead to lymphedema, a painful chronic condition where lymph fluid builds up in a person's arm due to being disrupted by the cancerous cells. "The important piece about this dragon boat experience [is] how it's changed practice around the world," the researcher said. "I think they really have shown that the role of exercise and the camaraderie, that you get from that, really changed how people thought about breast cancer, and thought about exercise and recovery after treatment," she added. Dr. McKenzie's work, along with collaborators, helped demonstrate that regular physical activity is associated with a 35 per cent reduction in mortality among cancer survivors. Breast cancer is the second most-common cancer in Canada, and roughly one in eight women are expected to be diagnosed with it in their lifetimes. While some like Dale are veterans of the team, others like Anca Dobre, 29, are more recent competitors. She was diagnosed in December 2023, and finished her radiation treatment the following August. Dobre said that the team showed her that a diagnosis didn't necessarily mean she was going to be bedridden. "Actually, it was the opposite," she told CBC News. "We all became more active. "There's so much to life after cancer and it's not just about surviving, but actually thriving, with this team because they're all so inspirational in everything they do."
CBC
16-06-2025
- Health
- CBC
Dragon boat team of breast cancer survivors celebrates 30 years in Vancouver
Social Sharing Nearly 30 years after it first started in Vancouver, a team of breast cancer survivors will compete in the upcoming Concord Pacific Dragon Boat Festival. The Abreast In A Boat team was started by Vancouver doctor Don McKenzie in 1996 — initially as a six-month trial to show whether there was any evidence to back up a commonly held idea that was limiting the lives of breast cancer survivors. At the time, the scientific consensus was that those who'd had a mastectomy shouldn't be raising their arms over their heads, lifting heavy objects or exercising. Instead, the team demonstrated that not only was strenuous exercise possible for breast cancer survivors, but physical activity and a sense of belonging helped them in their recovery from cancer. Ahead of the dragon boating festival, which starts June 20 in False Creek, members of the team told CBC News about how the team changed their lives. 'I could trust my body' When Carol Dale signed up for the team in 1996, she was celebrating five years being cancer-free, and thought it was an interesting experiment worth trying. "It just turned out to be a fascinating year, learning a new skill, learning that I could trust my body again to work for me," she said. "And I met some wonderful people, and that's what keeps me going." Dale says there are now six teams in the Lower Mainland alone composed of breast cancer survivors, and dozens more in Canada and around the world. And, there's even an international commission encouraging the establishment of more dragon boat teams for those with breast cancer. Recovery ideas change Kristin Campbell, a professor at the University of British Columbia's department of physical therapy, says that when the team was first started in 1996, it was thought that repeated exercise would lead to lymphedema, a painful chronic condition where lymph fluid builds up in a person's arm due to being disrupted by the cancerous cells. "The important piece about this dragon boat experience [is] how it's changed practice around the world," the researcher said. "I think they really have shown that the role of exercise and the camaraderie, that you get from that, really changed how people thought about breast cancer, and thought about exercise and recovery after treatment," she added. Dr. McKenzie's work, along with collaborators, helped demonstrate that regular physical activity is associated with a 35 per cent reduction in mortality among cancer survivors. Breast cancer is the second most-common cancer in Canada, and roughly one in eight women are expected to be diagnosed with it in their lifetimes. While some like Dale are veterans of the team, others like Anca Dobre, 29, are more recent competitors. She was diagnosed in December 2023, and finished her radiation treatment the following August. Dobre said that the team showed her that a diagnosis didn't necessarily mean she was going to be bedridden. "Actually, it was the opposite," she told CBC News. "We all became more active. "There's so much to life after cancer and it's not just about surviving, but actually thriving, with this team because they're all so inspirational in everything they do."
Hamilton Spectator
28-04-2025
- Health
- Hamilton Spectator
Abreast of Bridge turns 25
Just over 25 years ago, a few local breast cancer survivors met up for lunch and decided to do something as a group after undergoing treatment. Little did they know they would end up creating one of the largest annual events held in the city and building a legacy that has lasted a quarter of a century. What started as a walking group of three breast cancer survivors who wanted to stay active, grew to more 15 members walking weekly around Henderson Lake and in the coulees. Then word got out about a dragon boat team in Vancouver made up entirely of breast cancer survivors. The team was under the supervision of Dr. Don McKenzie, who held the then-revolutionary belief that paddling was excellent exercise for breast cancer survivors. At the time, many believed upper body exercise could trigger the cancer to return. The Lethbridge group were inspired by these women and decided to create their own dragon boat team. Soon the Calgary Canoe and Kayak Club donated a voyager canoe for the ladies to practice with. With that was born the Abreast of 'Bridge dragon boat team. Susan Giffen, a founding member of Abreast of 'Bridge recalls fondly the first few practices which were full of laughter. 'We were really an anomaly and people decided they really liked us and what we were doing, so people would come watch as we paddled and sort of laugh with us, and God there was a lot of laughter in our boat,' says Giffen. She adds the silliness of their team really put the saying 'laughter is the best medicine' into practice. They participated in their first dragon boat festival in Calgary in 2000, with the goal of finishing the race. They not only accomplished their goal, they also placed third amongst the breast cancer survivor teams. When they first began, Abreast of 'Bridge recruited some daughters of survivors in order to fill the boat, which Giffen says was as special for the daughters as it was the mothers. When coming up with a team name, the women wanted to include 'breast' in the name, as it was tradition. Being Lethbridge-based, they liked the name Abreast of 'Bridge, as one of the city's iconic symbols is the High-Level Bridge. But the name was very similar to the iconic Best of Bridge cookbooks that were popular at the time. The women wrote to the publishers of the cookbook, who were based out of Calgary, and asked if they could use the name. Without hesitation, Best of Bridge wrote back supporting the name. Giffen says their support was touching for all members. 'They wrote back to us on their special paper and said, 'go for it,' evidentially a couple of their members were breast cancer survivors, so they thought it was a great idea to call ourselves Abreast of 'Bridge.' For the next couple of years, the women continued to practice on their voyager canoe, which was much higher up than a dragon boat, and competed across the province and even in B.C. Then a Rotary member in Lethbridge saw Diane Randell, another founding member of Abreast of 'Bridge, in a shirt that said Rotary Dragon Boat Festival of Stratford and asked her about it. Before they knew it, the local Rotary clubs gathered the troops to hold a fundraiser to help the women raise money for their own dragon boat. The evening raised enough money that they were able to buy two teak dragon boats that were formally used in Calgary. The fundraiser sparked something in Randell as she realized, if Rotary could raise funds for two boats, why couldn't they create a full-on festival? It wasn't long before the first Lethbridge Dragon Boat Festival was put on in 2002, despite some naysayers who thought the city was too windy and it wouldn't be possible to get the volunteers needed. Randell says the doubters pushed her to prove them wrong. 'You never say 'you can't do this' to a Rotarian and a strong-willed woman.' A new Rotary club was created and with the help of the other two clubs, the first dragon boat festival at Henderson Lake drew 17 teams, including teams from Calgary. Even the local firefighters and police got involved. Today the event has supported 84 teams and is well known across the country, as it has become the race that kicks off the dragon boat season. Randell says the event could not be what it is without the the breast cancer teams, who continue to support the event each year. She adds that the event's success is overwhelming but it has taught her the importance of community. 'It has taught me that when you've got a few people that are committed to doing something different, that it can happen in community.' She credits her positive attitude and surrounding herself with positive people is the reason she is still here. In 2001, Abreast of 'Bridge was awarded with the YWCA Women of Distinction Award. Giffen paddled for 11 years, until she physically wasn't able to do it anymore. And while Randell only paddled for a few years, she spent many more on the planning committee. While oth have moved on, they are incredibly proud of what they have created. The annual ATB Financial Lethbridge Rotary Dragon Boat Festival is set to take place June 27-29.
