from Paula Farias IBCPC, National Representative CHILE
After two very difficult years due to the pandemic, we were able to hold the first meeting of the Fortale-Senos Chile team with doctors and health personnel in Santiago. We had been planning this meeting for a long time, we wanted our doctors, surgeons, oncologists, kinesiologists, nurses to visit us, to meet us and of course to paddle together in our Dragon Boat. Each one of us knows the benefits that this sport has, both physically and psychologically, but being an unknown sport in our country, we needed them to personally live this wonderful experience. And that is how we were able to tell 15 people who work on issues related to breast cancer, our experiences. Then, after a theoretical class, they got on the Dragon Boat to enjoy our Carén Lagoon and to learn what we are passionate about. We shared a beautiful morning, full of new adventures. Now, we were the ones who were able to show our doctors the benefits of this sport, to tell them how good it makes us and how happy we are since we joined our team. They were amazed, as they did not know about this sport or the great benefits for breast cancer survivors. We hope to continue counting on their support and that many doctors in our country and the world will have the opportunity to paddle for life. It was a very enriching activity, and we are already looking forward to organizing a second meeting, as will our colleagues from the other 7 Chilean teams who will soon also meet with their doctors to paddle together. Once again, we were able to demonstrate that “Exercise is medicine”.
