Latest news with #Niterói
Yahoo
a day ago
- Health
- Yahoo
A group of Brazilian women battling cancer find new hope thanks to Va'a canoeing
RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — When breast cancer turned her life upside down, Anna Lucia Amorim, a 63-year-old Brazilian from Rio de Janeiro state, fell into a deep depression sometimes struggling to get out of bed. But everything changed, she said, after she started practicing Va'a canoeing in Niteroi, a city facing Rio across Guanabara Bay, with other women who have battled cancer or were undergoing treatment. 'Every time you put the paddle in the water, it's like a new life,' she told The Associated Press on Thursday. 'When you are there, you forget everything. You only see the sea and the sky.' Amorim is part of Va'a Roses, a group of cancer patients and survivors between the ages of 52 and 70 who partake in local and national competitions of Va'a canoeing. Originating in the Pacific region, Va'a canoes — which traditionally have outriggers and can be single or double-hull — are now popular worldwide. In Niteroi, the Va'a Roses train twice weekly just after 7 a.m., departing from the sheltered Charitas Beach surrounded by harbors and sloping mountains, from which one can spot the famed Christ the Redeemer statue. Guanabara Bay has a reputation for being polluted by garbage and sewage, but members of the Va'a Roses say they regularly see turtles, rays and other fish — even dolphins. 'You wouldn't think that Guanabara Bay has so much life,' said Flavia Bichara, a 52-year-old lawyer who is currently undergoing chemotherapy for lung cancer. She said the hope of spotting a turtle and watching the sun rise gives her ample motivation to get out of bed early. 'The sunrise, for us, symbolizes coming back to life," she said. Polynesian canoeing and water sports in general have become increasingly popular in Niteroi over the last few years, said Isabel Swan, the municipality's deputy mayor who has an Olympic bronze medal in sailing. The number of Polynesian canoeing clubs in the area has jumped from five to around 40 in the last decade. 'This boom occurred during the Covid-19 pandemic, because people can practice water sports while complying with social distancing rules,' she said. In August, Niteroi will host the Va'a long distance world championship in which around a thousand athletes from 30 countries will compete. And alongside Rio, the city is a candidate to host the 2031 Pan American Games. Estella Tourl, 68, was diagnosed with breast cancer four years ago. As well as the stunning setting, she says she loves the social aspect of the activity. 'We're in nature, we exercise and we talk. Afterward everyone sits together, we have coffee and laugh. It's stimulating – we want to live,' Tourl said.
Associated Press
a day ago
- Health
- Associated Press
A group of Brazilian women battling cancer find new hope thanks to Va'a canoeing
RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — When breast cancer turned her life upside down, Anna Lucia Amorim, a 63-year-old Brazilian from Rio de Janeiro state, fell into a deep depression sometimes struggling to get out of bed. But everything changed, she said, after she started practicing Va'a canoeing in Niteroi, a city facing Rio across Guanabara Bay, with other women who have battled cancer or were undergoing treatment. 'Every time you put the paddle in the water, it's like a new life,' she told The Associated Press on Thursday. 'When you are there, you forget everything. You only see the sea and the sky.' Amorim is part of Va'a Roses, a group of cancer patients and survivors between the ages of 52 and 70 who partake in local and national competitions of Va'a canoeing. Originating in the Pacific region, Va'a canoes — which traditionally have outriggers and can be single or double-hull — are now popular worldwide. In Niteroi, the Va'a Roses train twice weekly just after 7 a.m., departing from the sheltered Charitas Beach surrounded by harbors and sloping mountains, from which one can spot the famed Christ the Redeemer statue. Guanabara Bay has a reputation for being polluted by garbage and sewage, but members of the Va'a Roses say they regularly see turtles, rays and other fish — even dolphins. 'You wouldn't think that Guanabara Bay has so much life,' said Flavia Bichara, a 52-year-old lawyer who is currently undergoing chemotherapy for lung cancer. She said the hope of spotting a turtle and watching the sun rise gives her ample motivation to get out of bed early. 'The sunrise, for us, symbolizes coming back to life,' she said. Polynesian canoeing and water sports in general have become increasingly popular in Niteroi over the last few years, said Isabel Swan, the municipality's deputy mayor who has an Olympic bronze medal in sailing. The number of Polynesian canoeing clubs in the area has jumped from five to around 40 in the last decade. 'This boom occurred during the Covid-19 pandemic, because people can practice water sports while complying with social distancing rules,' she said. In August, Niteroi will host the Va'a long distance world championship in which around a thousand athletes from 30 countries will compete. And alongside Rio, the city is a candidate to host the 2031 Pan American Games. Estella Tourl, 68, was diagnosed with breast cancer four years ago. As well as the stunning setting, she says she loves the social aspect of the activity. 'We're in nature, we exercise and we talk. Afterward everyone sits together, we have coffee and laugh. It's stimulating – we want to live,' Tourl said.
The Sun
3 days ago
- The Sun
Family's fury over ‘botched' mission to save tourist, 26, who died in volcano as tour guide denies he ‘left her behind'
THE heartbroken family of a tourist who died trapped in a volcano blasted the "botched" rescue mission and claimed her tour guide abandoned her. Brazilian traveller Juliana Marins, 26, slipped and plunged more than 1,600 feet from a hiking trail along the crater rim of Mount Rinjani on Saturday morning. 12 12 12 12 The Brazilian national, who was a publicist and dancer from Niterói, near Rio de Janeiro, was trapped for four days after she fell while trekking up Indonesia's second-highest volcano. Juliana's sister, Marianna, told Fantástico that her tragic sibling 'got very tired' during her hike and asked her guide "to stop for a while". But in a shocking revelation, she said that said the guide decided to continue without Marins, leaving her on her own. Marianna said: "They continued on, and the guide didn't stay with her." She told how her sister was doing the hike with a small group of five hikers and just one guide. Marianna explained that her sister spent an entire hour resting alone before her horror slip at sunrise. The late tourist 's sister said: "She didn't know where to go. She didn't know what to do. "When the guide came back because he saw that she was taking too long, he saw that she had fallen down there." The guide was reportedly able to see Juliana's flashlight, nearly 1,000 feet down the treacherous cliff. Her initial cries for help were reportedly heard on Saturday, with witnesses saying she was "safe, but in shock". In another heartbreaking detail, a friend of Juliana reportedly said that the hiker's family learned she was missing from social media. Incredible rescue mission to save Brits who got lost on 10,000ft volcano Juliana's pal also alleged that Indonesian officials even provided conflicting updates about the tourist's status when she was missing. They received horrifying false claims that she had been found and provided with food and water. The friend said: "We're living in a nightmare here." And they described the updates they were given by authorities as "conflicting, delayed, and often false information". Marianna said of the rescue efforts which were hampered by poor weather: 'At first, they tried to reach her with a rope that was shorter than necessary and couldn't.' The family also slammed Indonesian and Brazilian authorities. Juliana's sister raged during the rescue mission: 'The Indonesian government is lying, and the embassy is not verifying the facts before informing us. She is not receiving supplies. 12 She also alleged that videos released by local officials as showing a rescue were staged. Marianna said that the footage was taken "not during an actual rescue attempt". Her family also previously said on social media: 'Juliana is NEEDING HELP! We don't know the state of her health! "She still has no water, food or warm clothes for three days!" Juliana's father, Manoel Marins, also blasted the Brazilian government for its lack of involvement. He told Brazil's TV Globo: 'The embassy is not offering any support. The Brazilian government, which we've tried to contact, is also not helping us. "This is very sad and extremely serious. She is a 26-year-old girl, a Brazilian citizen, and no one — except family and friends — seems to care." Heartbreaking footage showed the tourist smiling and joking with her pal before fatally falling into an active volcano crater. She had been backpacking through Southeast Asia since February, documenting her solo trip on social media. Her tragic final moments were shared by a pal she met along her travels - and they showed Juliana at the top of a summit just days before her death. More clips showed the adventurous 26-year-old showing off the stunning vistas while riding on mopeds. Other shots revealed the dancer jumping into picturesque sinkholes and exploring caverns. In the last video, Juliana and her friend Frederica, jibed about the view at the top of Mount Rinjani as it had been concealed by cloud cover. "I met Juliana the day before the trip. We were both traveling alone. We made it all the way to the top. It was very difficult. "We climbed about 1,500 meters," Federica told G1 after the horror. In the clip Federica says sarcastically: "The view is amazing, you can tell it was so worth it." Juliana jokes: "Yeh, we did it for the view, so I'm glad, amazing!". This comes as distressing drone footage was also released which revealed Juliana trapped in a pit on the volcano as rescuers tried to reach her. Tourists on the Indonesian island of Lombok spotted her inside the crater after hearing screams for help. Juliana survived the fall but was unable to climb back up due to her injuries and had no access to food, water or shelter. The first rescue team was dispatched at 2.32pm local time on Saturday. After the initial alarm was raised, six more rescue teams tried to reach her. They were supported by two helicopters and equipment including an industrial drill. 12 12 Cold temperatures and fog made search efforts on Sunday harder to navigate but a drone was able to locate Juliana. However, when rescuers descended the volcano on Monday, she was no longer in the same spot. Rescuers finally located her on Tuesday, but it was tragically too late. Her family confirmed her death on social media, writing: "Today, the rescue team managed to reach the place where Juliana Marins was. "With great sadness, we inform you that she did not survive. "We remain very grateful for all the prayers, messages of affection and support that we have received." Earlier this week, Nikolas Osman, spokesperson for the East Lombok Police, said Juliana was hiking in a group and fell after suffering fatigue. He said: "While heading to the summit of Rinjani on the way to the Cemara Tunggal area, the victim experienced fatigue and the guide at that time advised her to rest. "Then the five guests in the tour group were taken by the guide to continue the journey. "However, by the time he returned to fetch her, the Brazilian woman was already missing." Indonesian authorities deployed three helicopters to try and rescue Juliana, according to West Nusa Tenggara governor Lalu Muhamad Iqbal. Iqbal told reporters: 'One helicopter from the Indonesian Armed Forces and national search and rescue agency (Basarnas) is expected to arrive at Zainuddin Abdul Madjid International Airport (BIZAM) around 2pm local time today.' Before the incident, Juliana had visited Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines. 12
