By Paula Farías
Ceremony "El Despertar de los Dragones”
On March 10, 2024 the Fortale-Senos Chile team had the honor and blessing of awakening two majestic boats, the dragon "Shenlong" and the dragoness "Idolas".
This is one of the many dreams that have been fulfilled thanks to the work and commitment of each of the team members, who "DECREED" with all our strength to make these dreams come true.
The Dragon "Shenlong", has a beautiful story that began in 2019. Looking for someone who was related to the Embassy of China in Chile, I contacted through social networks with a magical human being, those beings of light who are willing to help selflessly and that push us to continue dreaming. We started working on this project, then unfortunately came the pandemic and everything remained in ideas, but the seed was already in fertile soil.
In the year 2023 we connected again and began to dream big. Our need was to have a Dragon Boat for 22 people, as our team was growing by leaps and bounds. Thanks to the enthusiasm and motivation of our dear friend, Ricardo Echenique and his family and friends, we were able to raise the money and buy our boat. "Shenlong" is a Chinese spiritual god, its meaning of prosperity, happiness, security and success will accompany us in our regattas and in our rehabilitation.
Our sport has always been open to the community, sharing experiences, making special races for different institutions and motivating their participation. That was how we met Dr. Badir Chahuán, who is head of the unit of Oncological and Reconstructive Breast Surgery at the Arturo Lopez Perez Foundation, which is one of the most outstanding medical institutions in our country. He is the president of the "Idolas" Foundation, which is formed by women breast cancer survivors, who through the story of their testimonies have written a wonderful, hopeful and courageous book.
We spent a lot of time talking about the benefits of practicing this sport for breast cancer survivors and the importance of being supported by medical specialists. One day in a Congress organized by the Arturo Lopez Perez Foundation, Dr. Badir Chahuán announced a great surprise, the funds raised by the sale of the book "Idolas" would be used to give us a boat for 22 people, it was so much our emotion and gratitude, we were in a congress with many women to whom we were offering a life experience after the disease. The boat has the deserved name "Idolas", in honor of so many women who despite the adversity have moved forward and turned this experience of the disease into an opportunity.
With these two majestic Dragon Boats, we will sail wherever our dreams want to take us, we will rehabilitate together and we will have the opportunity to prove once again that after cancer there is a beautiful life to be lived.
