C4AC #2 – Dragon Boating with MS
Post on: Thursday, April 2nd, 2009 at 3:07 pmCategory: comments 4 a cause, Dragon Boat | Tags:
There are over 2.5 million people worldwide right now with all different stages of multiple sclerosis (MS). That’s about 50,000 Canadians and 40,000 Americans. No one really knows why some people get it and others don’t. Hopefully in my life time or my little ones life time there will be a cure for this disease and hopefully a few others as well.
Thanks to the first Blind Dragon Boat team in 1993 and the first Breast Cancer Team in 1996, Vancouver, BC have done it again shown the world everyone and anyone can Dragon Boat. Four years ago 22 people (who are living with MS or who are spouses of those of MS or know someone with the disease) formed Off Balance. They treat it as a weekly social event with a beer after practice.
Once you get all 22 people in the boat you can not tell who has MS and who doesn’t other then four people need adaptive seating since they have to be swung in/out of the boat. I have been so lucky to have been a guest coach over the years even when I didn’t need to be there I’ve jumped on board to have a practice with them after I had my own practice.
As an able body person, there are days were I don’t want to get up and do anything but just thinking of one of there paddlers who takes three hours on four buses and a skytrain (subway above ground) in a wheelchair for an hour and a half practice rain or shine. Makes me rethink life and it gets me out of bed every the time.
At the 20th anniversary of Vancouver’s Dragon Boat Festival, last June. Off Balance decided to race one of the two days. I got a chance to watch Off Balance’s second race of the festival (the fourth and final race of the festival) between my races. I don’t know what was said on the boat or if the local seal was helping them out in that nine boat heat. But WOW! It was an amazing race to watch, once they docked and got off the boat they had smiles ear to ear once they found out that they a team that was expecting to come dead last beat two other boats.
Thanks to Off Balance now there is another MS dragon boat team based out of Victoria BC heading into their second year.
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That would be inspiring to watch, IMHO.
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I’ve heard about Dragon Boating but have yet to see it. When we were stationed in Japan, some of the service members in Japan participated but it was much further south in the country than where we were.
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I have never seen Dragon Boating myself, but you talk of it all the time that some day I think it would be awesome to witness. I think that it’s great that for a second year in a row you’re doing the C4AC
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It’s been ages since I’ve gone to the Dragon Boat Festival, I used to go a lot with school when I was younger for field trips and whatnot. It’d be great to watch that race, even without knowing that they were at a disadvantage only because paddling itself is so intensive, my arms hurt just thinking about it.
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I’ve never heard of Dragon Boating. Any pictures?
Thomas
(NetChick Sent Me)
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That sounds so rewarding and inspiring! I’m glad you were able to participate.
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Never heard of Dragon Boating… Finland probably has nothing of the sort.
Must’ve been great to take part in that.
And also a big eye-opener!
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My grandma had MS and I miss her all the time. She was an incredible woman and her complete lack of physical mobility didn’t do much to slow her down. She advocated for handicapped parallel parking spots and community resources for people with disabilities in B.C. and affiliated with a community of incredible people. A friend of my grandparents does a Dragon Boat event – not sure if this is the same one – and every time I hear of the events I think of them! I wish you the best on your journey and thank you for giving attention to this important cause. M.S. research has come leaps and bounds and I am truly truly appreciative to those who help the cause.
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