Head Coach

Every Year in The UK about 55,000 women and 400 men are diagnosed with breast cancer.

About 1,500 of them are in Northern Ireland .

Regular exercise can help ease treatment-related Side Effects and reduce The Risk of recurrence.

For some patients - paddling with a dragon Boat team not only helps with their physical wellbeing but also their Mental Health .

The Lagan Dragons are based in Belfast and take their name from The River that flows through The City .

Karen Dougan joined The Team just before The First lockdown while recovering from breast cancer.

Soon after, her cancer recurred.

" It came back very rudely in October 2020 - so I had further treatment, further surgery, further radiation, " She Said .

Training with The Lagan Dragons has been instrumental to her recovery.

" I'm free of The disease, but you're never really comfortable thinking that you'll never get it back again. But I'm fit, I'm healthy, and loving Life , " Ms Dougan said.

" People in The Team know what you're going through and They lift you up and They boost you.

" You can talk about your experience and know that someone understands what you've gone through - They 're very positive and enthusiastic.

" I felt I'd found My Tribe . "

Captain Karen Case was diagnosed with breast cancer More Than a decade ago.

She also believes being part of The Team helped her recovery.

" It's really about physical, mental and social wellbeing, " She Said .

" Paddling in dragon boats is obviously quite an Old Sport and originated in China, but there was a breast surgeon in Canada who recommended it for women who had gone through breast cancer treatment - The repetitive movement and The camaraderie is good For You .

" It's a group of people in a Boat - literally in The same Boat . "

Dragon Boat regattas take place around The World and many have a category for breast cancer teams.

Traditionally at The End of competitions, a flower ceremony takes place and some participants place their flowers in The water as a tribute to cancer patients.

" It's really a time of remembering people we've lost through breast cancer, " Karen explained

" It's very moving, and very poignant but it's a time to be thankful as Well - to be thankful for their lives and to be thankful that we're here honouring Those People by living our lives to The full by embracing Life and thriving.

" The One thing I want to do is to encourage people To Live their best Life - to be healthier, be fitter, be stronger and have a good laugh. And to paddle of course. "

The Lagan Dragons' Head Coach , Rachel Reid, is one of The Members who does not have breast cancer.

A long time rower, she " watched The Dragons from afar" before joining.

" I thought I had some skills that could help them, and They were serious about winning The Dublin regatta that Year - and we did, " She Said .

" I think They 're all absolutely amazing. To go through what They 've gone through, and come and start a New Life here with The Dragons and a new Sport - a lot of them have never done Sport at all.

" They 're working hard and training and supporting each other. "

Ruth Burns, A Mother of two young boys, was diagnosed with breast cancer Last Year , aged 37.

" I'd just started back to work after having my youngest - he was one, " she recalled.

" I was still breast feeding him and I just noticed a lump and obviously that's quite common with breast feeding mothers but something didn't sit Well with me.

" I was diagnosed about three weeks later. "

Ruth said paddling with The Dragons was helping her deal with a cancer diagnosis in her 30s.

" It sounds like a strange thing to say but there have been positives And One of those has been The Lagan Dragons.

" It's become The highlight of my week, " She Said .

" I can't think of all my worries, because you have to Focus On keeping time and you have to listen to your instructions, and it's a really good way to force me to be more present.

" If I call here on a Sunday Morning for a paddle, there's a few stragglers like myself having coffee and cake, and I can talk about my tablets giving me weird Side Effects and They get it.

Ruth said it had also helped her Focus On Life After cancer.

" Obviously it can be a really dark time and a really upsetting time. There's support Out There , but if anyone was thinking about dragon Boat Racing - it's good craic, " She Said .

" It's put me down a different path to meet these ladies and I might actually be fitter and healthier After This . "

Source of news: bbc.com