Paddle for Cancer

It might be unusual to see brightly-colored dragons floating on a Swiss lake. One would think it would be for the Chinese New Year, but that’s in January. At this event each September, the people on the Lac de Joux sport shorts and no sleeves, a determined look on their faces as they climb into their colorful dragon-shaped boats for the next race. What is going on?

There is no shortage of fundraising events in Switzerland, but the English Speaking Cancer Association has turned a good way to get exercise into a family funfest benefiting a great cause. We met up with one of the organizers of this event, Kirsten Stromstad, who told us all about what we can expect at this September’s Paddle for Cancer.

Spoiler alert: it does involve dragons, but also castles and even a war…

History

Back in the mid-90’s, a Canadian doctor’s studies revealed that, contrary to popular belief, breast cancer patients should be exercising. This came as a shock. Sick people were supposed to rest. Yet it seemed that non-weight-bearing exercises had both physical and psychological benefits in fighting breast cancer.

Armed with his research and a group of willing breast cancer survivors, Dr. Donald McKenzie created Abreast in a Boat in 1996. He put them not in rowing boats, but in Chinese dragon boats, which glide graciously over the water to the beat of a Chinese drum.

The idea had so much support that cancer-fighting dragon boat teams and races started popping up all over the world.

Ten years ago, the English Speaking Cancer Association of Geneva decided to join in. It created its first Paddle for Cancer event which attracted hundreds of supporters from across Switzerland and abroad, all united to raise awareness and support the association.

ESCA

ESCA was created in 2000 in Geneva. Its main objective is to support those who need help in dealing with cancer –patients, family or others affected by it.

ESCA’s founders realized that, with such an international community in and around Geneva, there were few English-speaking resources to support people affected by cancer. The association was created to provide services for a group of people who may feel alone. “Today, most medical staff speak English. However, support in English for cancer patients and their families is sometimes hard to find,” Kirsten confides. “Sometimes, it’s easier to open up to someone else in your native language.” ESCA’s services are free of charge to anyone who needs them.

Delivering support

Today, over 70 volunteers and professionals deliver quality support to the community. Events like Paddle for Cancer raise funds to support ESCA’s activities. And there are a lot of activities to support.

ESCA has certified professional counsellors who can provide group or peer support. The Drop-in centre receives visitors during open hours or by appointment. There are fitness, yoga and art therapy classes. Another is the LGFB (Look Good Feel Better) classes that include beauty tips and other secrets to help women feel their fittest. There is an extensive library. And the Bosom Pals meet at least once a month to share their stories of how amazing women have not only survived breast cancer, but thrive and enjoy their lives with their families in the months and years that follow.

Paddle for Cancer

Paddle for Cancer, now in its 11^th year, has become a fun-filled family event. “This year, 44 teams of 20 people each will race,” Kirsten tells us excitedly. “Most are corporate teams who raise a certain amount of money as a group. Often, the company matches the amount raised for the team.”

On land, stands will sell traditional Swiss sausage next to not-so-traditional spicy noodles. Children will bounce in bouncy castles or squirm silently while getting their faces painted. A Tug-of-War on the lake will compete with rowing machines on the shore for who is the strongest. And when it’s all over, a giddy group of exhausted people will wonder why they volunteered to lug the benches back to the trucks. And yet, they will be glad they went.

At the end of the day, Paddle for Cancer will hopefully have raised enough money to help fund ESCA’s support programs, pay for the event itself, and perhaps be able to donate to another worthy cause. “This year, we are supporting the Kanji bead program from Zoe4life,” Kirsten tells us. “Through this program, children with cancer in the Suisse Romande region receive a bead for each milestone in their treatments. Some of the children can say what each bead means in a string of a hundred.”

How can you help?

An event that seems to grow every year, Paddle for Cancer needs support in order to make it a success. Not only do they need to find corporate sponsors and teams to race, but they need volunteers for both set-up and clean-up. “As with many volunteer-run events, the clean-up is probably more important than the set-up,” Kirsten jokes. But it is true. Who wants to clean up after a bunch of messy water dragons?

This year’s Paddle for Cancer will be held on the Lac de Joux on September 3, 2017.

If you would like to volunteer, or your company, family, church or other group would like to participate in the race, contact Paddle for Cancer at info@paddleforcancer.ch.

For more information, visit www.paddleforcancer.ch or for ESCA, www.cancersupport.ch.