On Friday, Sept. 22, the dragon boat charity organization Paddle For Life presented the Catch-22 Breast Cancer Survivors Dragon Boat Team with an $8,000 check from a boat race fundraiser held in Ridgefield last month.
“Breast cancer is the No. 1 cause of cancer in women who live in Clark County, and one in eight women will experience breast cancer in their lifetimes,” a release stated. “With statistics like this, the Catch-22 Dragon Boat Team breast cancer survivors division will use the money to build and maintain a breast cancer survivor’s paddling community in southwest Washington.”
Participation in the ancient Chinese sport of dragon boating is an international movement for breast cancer survivors, as the fun and rigorous sport helps those who have experienced breast cancer improve fitness and lower the risk of lymphedema, a painful complication that often occurs following surgery and/or radiotherapy, the release stated.
“The sport helps women who have experienced breast cancer take back control of their lives thanks to the healing power of water, exercise, community and the unique camaraderie of connecting and competing with other survivors,” the release adds.
“Our team is immensely thankful for this generous donation from Paddle For Life,” breast cancer survivor and Catch-22 dragon boat paddler Tamara Greenwell said during the presentation. “Fighting cancer is hard, and rebuilding a life after cancer can be even more challenging. I often say that the doctors and nurses helped save my life, and the dragon boating community helped save my spirit.”
Paddle For Life’s next fundraising dragon boat event is scheduled for Aug. 3, 2024, at Lake River in Ridgefield.
To learn more about Paddle for Life and supporting women in Clark County who have experienced breast cancer, visit paddle forlife.org/.
