Rose Beattie, left, Emiliia McDonald and Glenys Evans were members of the CanSurvive Club team that won medals at the international Dragon Boat Federation Club Crew World Championships in Ravenna, Italy last month.
Rose Beattie, left, Emiliia McDonald and Glenys Evans were members of the CanSurvive Club team that won medals at the international Dragon Boat Federation Club Crew World Championships in Ravenna, Italy last month.
Three Kāpiti breast cancer survivors have represented the district at the International Dragon Boat Federation Club Crew World Championships – and they’ve come back with gold medals.
Rose Beattie, Emiliia McDonald and Glenys Evans were members of a 14-member dragon boat team of breast cancer survivors selected from the CanSurvive Club in Wellington for the championships, which were held in Ravenna, Italy, last month.
They were joined by six other New Zealand teams at the championships, where they competed in 2000m, 500m and 200m race distances.
The team won all three races against 15 other breast cancer club teams from countries including Canada, Germany, Panama, Peru, Australia, United States, China and Italy.
Some of the teams at the international Dragon Boat Federation Club Crew World Championships in Ravenna, Italy in September 2024 pictured at the Gold Medal ceremony.
“There were in total over 5000 paddlers racing in multiple age categories, which included a breast cancer category,” said coach Ewen McDonald.
“The team worked hard and were committed to each other to achieve the best possible result. It’s true when they say nothing is insurmountable if you have the will to just give it a go.”
The three women will now compete in the International Breast Cancer Paddling Commission in France in 2026.
Ewen said the club is always trying to fundraise to help reduce out-of-pocket expenses as “this sport, like most amateur sports, is all self-funded”.
The CanSurvive team at the international Dragon Boat Federation Club Crew World Championships in Ravenna, Italy in September 2024.
Glenys said she felt huge pride for the team when they won gold, and she hoped they could do it again.
“It was a feeling of relief that we had done it.”
She said dragon boating had given her so much – friendships, fitness, confidence and proof that if you put in energy, commitment and believe in others you can achieve.
Like Glenys, Rose, who was diagnosed and treated for breast cancer at age 47, said winning the three medals felt phenomenal.
“I was stoked for the team. Everything just clicked and we ran like a well-oiled machine.”
She said she had made life-long friends in the club – so many she has lost count.
Glenys and Rose encouraged others who have been diagnosed with breast cancer or finished treatment to get involved – and said the club’s regular “Give it a Go” days mean you can try it before you commit. You can find more information on the club’s website at www.cansurvive.co.nz.
“Breast cancer, as we all know, does not strike a certain type of person. We are a club that is supportive of all,” said Glenys.
