Submitted by Meri Gibson, IBCPC President
I was invited to be an official at the Bahamas Chinese Dragonboat Association third annual festival. My role was as health and safety Director.
As part of the team of officials and coming to an event at the tail end of a hurricane, we were constantly reviewing the weather situation, and particularly the ocean wave action for the event. Due to the high winds and capsize potentials we cancelled the first day of racing. It was important to offer those who had travelled near and far something as a replacement. I suggested that we have a fun day and the organisers absolutely stepped up and created the best fun day I have been to an exceedingly long time.
There was a dance competition, three legged races, four legs hobbled together races, Jenga competition, a limbo competition, a person on someone else’s shoulders while doing squats, a relay race running from one boat to another. It was fantastic and for four hours everyone had so much fun. I think I might suggest to the organisers that they do one day of racing and one day of onshore fun for future events.
Day two was much calmer, hence we decided to go ahead with an incredibly early start so that we could cram in all the previous day’s races and the Sunday races into the one day. Job done, my hats off to all the officials involved in ensuring that we had a wonderful day racing, a very full days racing that I am positive everyone went home from happy but tired.
I was fortunate enough to be able to sit on the front of the Bahamas breast cancer team’s boat as the captain is currently experiencing bone metastasis and was unable to be on the boat. Through my shoulder injury I have not been able to paddle but I am always happy to hop on a boat to coach, to train and to lead, or anything just to be out on the water, so this was a real thrill for me.
We had a flower ceremony at the end of the breast cancer final, and as always it was very emotional. I find myself when I’m conducting these ceremonies trying to hold myself together, to be in a space that is quiet and calm, but even after 18 years of doing this I’m still deeply impacted every single time when I think about those that have passed, those who are going through a difficult time at present, and those who are with us and feeling every moment of these brave souls .
Following the festival the Bahamas Dragon Boat Federation leaders organised a meeting with several doctors involved across areas of patient treatment and advocacy where we discussed the possibilities of establishing a loosely called “cancer conquering association”. I am always inspired by the people that I meet in these scenarios and the opportunities that arise to talk and develop further not just breast cancer dragon boat paddling, but all cancer paddling. I feel this group will be a force to be reckoned with and I wish this group of very like-minded individuals all the absolute best.
