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Wednesday September 20, 2000 THE OAKVILLE BEAVER B1 N A T U R E 'S S O U R C E Flora F lo r -E s s e n c e Special 500 ml El2 " with this ad Reg. 19.99 Expires Oct. 4/00 & 9 5 -2 5 7 -*J 5 5 5 Hours: Mon-Frl 1 M · Sat 1 M · Sun 1 1 -f OFFICIAL MEDIA SPONSOR OF THE OAKVILLE WATERFTSONTFESTIVAL Focus4 FOURTH LINE AUTO F o r A l l Y o u r C a r 's N e e d s Drive Clean Emission Testing Government Safety Inspection Tune-Ups · Brakes · Exhaust ·Cooling Systems CAA Approved Shop O o h v d le r W et t t r f r o r d : fe ttlM x l/ 559 Speers R oad 842-3001 In Business ki Oakville Since 1979 Oakville Beaver Focus Editor: WILMA BLOKHUIS 845-3824 Ext: 250; Fax: 337-5567; Email: blokhuis@ haltonsearch.com Photo by Barrie Erskine K not a B reast happily w elcom ed its first m an, Jo h n Lowe of N iagara Falls, to the dragon boat team this year. T h eir p u rp le team sh irts reflect in the w ater d u rin g a recent practice. Paddling for breast cancer awareness B y Kathy Yanchus SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER hey are winners even though their boats may not always cross the fin ish line first. "Every time we go out on the water, we win just by virtue of us being there," says a member of the Knot a Breast Dragon Boat team, based out of Hamilton Harbour. These 50 feisty ladies - all breast cancer survivors, have discovered a support group like no other, through the camaraderie of sport. Some have paddled before, some never. Still others are not even athleti cally inclined. Some are young moth ers, others, grandmothers. W hat they share is an illness, one that devastates families and mentally debilitates. What is a little rough water out on the lake when you have had to face your little girl with the news that you have breast r cancer? One can only imagine the heartache. Yet, far from dwelling on the negative, they revel in the positive. Life has taken on a whole new mean ing and they intend to make the most o f it. Fun is the operative word and their smiles reflect an attitude only those who have been there, can under stand. "I have met some wonderful women," comments Claire Dorsey, one of a handful of Oakville paddlers, who was diagnosed eight years ago. "I never did feel the need for a support group. I had lots of family and friends who acted as my support group. But these women are wonderful. We laugh about it and all the girls have wonder ful senses of humour." In the three years since the Hamilton dragon boat team was launched - there are more than 20 teams across the country as well as in Australia, New Zealand and the United States - the group has grown bigger and tighter and now includes one man, also a breast cancer survivor. Twice a week throughout the summer and rac ing season they practice at Hamilton Harbour and during the winter months, with a short break between fall and the new year, they train at Hamilton's Canadian Back Institute (CBI) and the Cedar Springs Racquet Club in Burlington, under the meticulous eye of their coaches, two CBI physiothera pists. Not only is the strenuous, repetitive motion of paddling a tremendous physical workout, it's an emotional one as well. "We are very visible at the races," says Dorsey. "We have a lot of fun and we want to show others with breast cancer that there is a life after. We are survivors and we can have fun. Our husbands come out and support us and they can talk to each other. They need support too. "We want to spread the message have met some wonder fu l women. I never did feel the need fo r a support group. I had lots o f family and friends who acted as my support group. But these women are wonder ful. We laugh about it and all the girls have wonderful senses o f humour." -Claire Dorsey "/ that women, and men, who have had breast cancer, can lead full and active lives after treatment," continues Dorsey. Paddling was something Margaret Elsdon always longed to attempt and when she heard of the Knot a Breast team from friend and fellow survivor Bobbi Moore, she was "excited." "It's a sport I always wanted to try and I like to think I'm capable reg ard -, less of what's happened," says Elsdon, who suffered through breast cancer twice, once nine years ago and again seven years ago. "For me when I was first diagnosed I thought that some where between the doctor's office and my house, I would die." Her reason for joining the team was not only to satisfy her curiosity about the sport, but to give inspiration to others at a time when most needed "and it would help them look towards the future." "In our minds I think we see a can cer diagnosis as being at death's door and that's a real negative." Elsdon says her fellow paddlers "are among the happiest bunch o f peo ple you'd ever want to meet. "They realize that tomorrow may not come so you make the best of today. They just have a greater appre ciation of everything." (See `Dragon boat. . . ' page B4) /nPTrilr vVn P oo sir D im cl T h is d u a l-m o d e , d u a l b a n d , D ig ita l P C S and c e llu la r p h o n e fe a tu re s secure, c ry s ta l c le a r c a lls , v o ic e m a il, T e x t M e s s a g in g and C a ll D is p la y »i b V L L ip ll For W omen Only! Sorry Gentlemen. H ig h B p c re d lM iX lo iiTM Only S29.95/month for the first 3 months (regularly $39.95) plus installation is FREE! Order before October 31, 2000, and you could win a Compaq Presario laptop computer worth $2,500 ! mm 'Some Ttrms and Conditions apply, see store for details. Offer subject to change or extension. A ll Digital PCS and Analog phones must be activated on the Bell Mobikty Network on RealTIme 25 or greater. Bell Mobility Is a trademark of Bell Canada. NATIONAL CELLULAR! Bell W o rld W inston Gate S hopping Centre, W inston C h irc h ill at Dundas, (905) 855-2220 Oakville Place, Oakville (905) 815-9200 P e rso n a l C o m m u n ic a tio n s C e n tre s 422 Speers Road, O akville (905) 338-9200 B e / / T k A o ty tfr ty