THESE LADIES SLAY DRAGONS
Breast Cancer survivors form ICanServe-Cebu Dragon Boat Team with the aim to inspire fellow Cancer patients and survivors to continue fighting
These women have survived their daunting battle against cancer and have converged to form a sporting team with the aspiration to inspire cancer patients and survivors.
The Breast Cancer survivors of Cebu have formed the ICanServe-Cebu Dragon Boat Team. The 15-woman squad is raring to go for their first race: the Cebu Dragonboat Fiesta 2017 slated on April 28 to 30 at the Cebu Yacht Club in Lapu-Lapu City.
“We hope to inspire cancer fighters and the survivors by showing that cancer can be defeated and we’re stronger than our cancer,” team captain Diomarie Grace Ferre told SunStar Cebu in an interview at the Cebu City Sports Center.
Ferre, who survived Stage 1 breast cancer, shared that they’re the first to form an all-cancer-survivors dragon boat team in the country.
Ferre is a paddler for the Gruppo Habagat Dragon Boat Team and she thought of forming a cancer survivors’ team. This materialized in January this year, starting with a few members, until they grew to 15 paddlers.
The members are Anne Geor- gia Solante, Maria Liberty Rañoa, Jan Kintanar, Eden Palacuna, Mirasol Viñas, Rosalie Cobre, Levi Abelides, Mary Ann Sacristan Bojos, Aide Ibones delos Reyes, Maribeth Dy, and Josephine Galope.
“We just want to inspire cancer patients and dili lang jud sila maguol. The paddlers in this team had different stages of breast cancer, from Stages 1 to 4. If you have cancer, don’t be afraid because there’s hope and it’s not the end. Just keep fighting,” said Solante, who was cleared of cancer six years ago.
“There is always hope after being diagnosed. Just don’t lose hope,” added Bojos, a Stage 2 B survivor.
The members of the team had met in the ICanServe Foundation, an advocacy group that empowers women with breast cancer. The ICanServe Dragon Boat Team will be joining the All-Women’s division of the small boat race, which requires 10 paddlers.
The ICanServe Dragon Boat Team also opens the door to those cancer patients undergoing therapy just like Galope, a Stage 3 breast cancer patient.
“I just joined the team three weeks ago and it has become my recreational activity and it’s for my therapy.
This sport has helped me physically and emotionally. Dili na bug
at akong lawas and the pain in my back is gone,” said Galope, who’s currently on chemo therapy.
“I also get motivated when I join our practices. Because they have survived, I told myself that I can do it as well,” she added.
With the competition on the horizon, the team practices at the Cebu Yacht Club every weekend, does swimming pool training on Mondays and Thursdays, and oval training on Wednesdays.
The team said that they are thankful to the people and sponsors who have helped them by providing free registration fee, paddles, and paddle bags, among others.
We hope to inspire cancer fighters and the survivors by showing them that cancer can be defeated and we’re stronger than our cancer. DIOMARIE GRACE FERRE Team captain