SPECIAL NEWSLETTER
We have some exciting news for you regarding our ongoing restructure and development of new roles as part of our succession planning for the future of IBCPC.
In establishing these new panels and portfolio’s we have strived to make these roles “By paddlers for paddlers”. We believe it is important that those who advise us, and you as members, are survivors, paddlers, and understand the limitations we face in our bodies, and in our minds.
We have added more National Representatives (NR’s) and where there are less than three teams per country, we have added a further role of Country Liaison (CL). Where there are currently NRs in countries with less than three teams, we have elected to leave the status quo, but to work closely with these countries to further develop and build more IBCPC member teams. As we add more NR’s and CL’s we will advise in our upcoming communications.
In establishing the Medical Advisory Panel (MAP) our objective is to review medical research, today's thinking and practices to be able to update information as it comes to hand and to guide survivors to the best resources that we can.
THE MEDICAL ADVISORY PANEL
The Medical Advisory Panel members are all breast cancer survivors and are all dragon boat paddlers and they work directly with breast cancer patients in the medical or associated professions in the areas of diagnosis, treatment, patient advocacy, and well-being.
Dr Tracy Sexton, Canada
IBCPC Medical Advisory Panel Chair
Dr. Tracy Sexton is a Radiation Oncologist at the London Regional Cancer Program, London, Ontario, Canada and has specialized in the treatment of breast, prostate and paediatric cancers since 2007. She is actively involved in clinical trial research and education and was the Program Director of the Radiation Oncology Residency Program for 10 years. Her passion is survivorship and as the South-West Ontario lead for the Breast Cancer Survivorship Program, she helped create educational materials on follow up and long-term side effects for family physicians and patients, that are now used throughout the province.
As a 15-year breast cancer survivor, Dr. Sexton has committed her professional and personal life to raising awareness of breast cancer and improving the lives of breast cancer patients after treatment. She is an avid dragon boater and has been a member of Rowbust, London Breast Cancer Survivor Dragonboat team, since 2010. As a Rowbust member she is the medical director, on the safety committee and just completed her second term on the board of directors. She is a proud member of the Rowbust national crew, having won the title of national breast cancer division champion 9 times and Club Crew World Champions BCS division 3 times. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends and traveling the world.
Dr. Matilde Yahni, Argentina
IBCPC Medical Advisory Panel
Matilde was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina 56 years ago. She has a solid career as a medical doctor. Matilde comes from a family of doctors, with her father and two brothers all medical doctors. Matilde specialized in Family medicine having completed a residency both in Buenos Aires and at McGill University, Montreal, Canada. She also undertook postgraduate studies in diabetes and nutrition. Matilde has a passion for languages and she can communicate easily in Spanish, her native language, English, French, Italian and German. Matilde is the proud mother of Lucas and Paul who share with her, her passion for art, music and sports.
Matilde was diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer in 2015 and six months later a different type of breast cancer, was found in the other breast. As four close relatives had also had aggressive breast cancers her doctor recommended bilateral mastectomy with further reconstruction in 2016 and 2017.
Matilde has rowed in boats and paddled in kayaks from an early age and has competed for her rowing club for 10 years. After her recovery from breast surgery, she heard about IBCPC and pink paddling and she started contacting former patients who had had breast cancer, along with friends and acquaintances, and from this Rosas del Plata was formed in July 2015. As she has paddled since the age of 6 it was second nature to her to start the team!
Matilde is extremely energetic and loves socialising and got her team together under one dream ‘Let’s go to Florence in 2018’ and so they did … What an incredible adventure that was and one that Matilde and her team will hold in their hearts for many years to come. Matilde worked hard with her team to buy a dragon boat despite living in Argentina, where the economic situation is not good at all. But through sheer determination, Rosas del Plata now has two baby dragons, 40 pink paddlers and they train 3 times a week on a beautiful lake, called Nordelta. The next dream to fulfil is taking the team to the Lake Karapiro festival and Matilde, enthusiastically has already registered a complete crew, “let’s go to New Zealand in 2023 “is her next objective.
Dr. Jane Ramsbottom, Australia
IBCPC Medical Advisory Panel
Dr Jane Ramsbottom is a Breast Physician at the Wesley Breast Clinic in Brisbane, Australia. She graduated from the University of Queensland in 1994. Jane worked as a general practitioner specialising in women’s health for 15 years before completing a breast fellowship and working as a breast physician for the past 16 years at the Wesley Breast Clinic.
Jane was diagnosed with a multifocal breast carcinoma in 2012 and subsequently had a bilateral mastectomy and chemotherapy. She started paddling in 2018 after hearing about a wonderful group of women called Missabittatitti. Jane has loved every moment of the pink spirit and completed the 2019 Ord River Dragon Boat Marathon, 55km in the Kimberley Region, Western Australia. Jane cannot wait to compete in her first IBCPC festival in New Zealand in 2023. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking with her family and friends, playing golf and running.
Barbara Klein, Italy
IBCPC Medical Advisory Panel
Barbara has been Communications Officer at EUROPA DONNA (ED) – The European Breast Cancer Coalition since 2007. As part of her role, she maintains communication with ED’s 47 National Representatives and runs ED’s social media channels as well as organizes their biannual Advocacy Leader Conference and annual MBC conferences. Barbara helped develop the annual Breast Health Day Campaign which started in 2008 and she now runs the annual campaign that aims to inform women of all ages that lifestyle factors play an important role in the prevention and recurrence of breast cancer as well as the importance of the role of early detection of breast cancer. She also represents ED as a Patient Advocate at various European meetings (ED Pan European Conferences, EBCC 12), and has facilitated workshops on various topics including: social media, prevention and high genetic risk at the biannual ED Pan European Conferences. In 2019, Barbara was a patient advocate panellist on the Oncoplastic Breast Consortium (OPBC) and took part in the consensus conference.
Barbara’s motivation for getting involved with EUROPA DONNA was because of a strong family history of breast cancer and a belief that patient advocacy can make a real difference in the fight against breast cancer. In 2016 she was herself diagnosed with breast cancer.
Following her breast cancer diagnosis, Barbara joined the Pink Amazons, Milano, Italy in September 2017 and started on her dragon boating journey. Immediately after her first practice session she agreed to attend the IBCPC Dragon Boat Festival in Florence in 2018. While at the festival she had the opportunity to participate in the flower ceremony which was probably one of the most powerful experiences she has ever had as it was a sort of closure having studied there 17 years before following the death of her mother. Barbara trains weekly with her team at the Idroscalo behind Linate airport and has participated twice in the “Palio di Chiaretto” in Bardolino on Lake Garda.
Barbara Klein has a B.A. degree in Fine Arts from University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).
Cosmina Grigore, Romania
IBCPC Medical Advisory Panel
Cosmina Grigore is a mother, wife and breast cancer survivor diagnosed in 2013 at the very young age of just 27.
While working on rewriting her life story after her cancer diagnosis, Cosmina studied and obtained several certifications in nutrition, nutrigenomics, Pilates, mindfulness, coaching and personal development.
She is the first breast cancer patient to become a Patient Coach in Romania and in 2016 she founded Imunis Association. Imunis is dedicated to educating and empowering cancer patients to rewrite their story after cancer.
Cosmina has created some very unique programs in Romania such as “The New Cancer Patient Caravan” for which she was awarded Woman of The Year in 2016 as the project reached over 25 cities in Romania. Titles for programs include: “Womanhood after cancer” or “School for Cancer patients”. She has reached over 2000 patients from Romania and abroad through her work either online or offline.
In 2020 along with Marian Baban - Romanian sprint canoer who won three silver medals at the ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships – Cosmina created Imunis Dragons the first dragon boat team for breast cancer survivors in Romania.
Cosmina is also developing a lay version for cancer patients of the clinical guidelines for cancer nutrition for the European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN). She is a coach, a woman with a bold vision who believes in the body’s wisdom, in the power of “#togetherness” and of the community, she cares deeply for the environment and guides patients to become the best version of themselves. She is dedicated to building her legacy after cancer through Imunis programs and showing that prevention matters. She is leading patients through her own lifestyle example proving that, indeed, you can rewrite your story and that emotional balance, sports, nutrition and great lifestyle are core pillars.
Shannon Rowe, Australia
IBCPC Medical Advisory Panel
Shannon is originally from Canada and after years of travelling the world she landed in Australia in 2014 and never left.
Shannon works as a Registered Nurse and when she received the news of her diagnosis on January 22, 2020, four months before her 40th birthday that she had Invasive Ductal Breast Cancer with the Triple Negative Factor, Stage 3 she knew that she was in for the fight of her life.
Shannon began her treatment journey with five months of chemotherapy adding in all of the chemotherapy medication she could, followed by surgery and a month of radiation. She also because of her age faced numerous questions about what her future would hold.
A pharmacist that Shannon worked with told her about dragon boating as she knew that Shannon has always been involved with sports at many levels. Shannon joined DA Penrith in Sydney, Australia as soon as her treatment regime was completed and has not looked back. She was immediately welcomed into the fold with the camaraderie of friendly, understanding women. She believes that women need to move forward without letting their diagnosis define them. Shannon very affectionately says that these women have become part of her family away from home.
MEN'S BCS AMBASSADOR
We felt the time was right to have a male advocating for males when it comes to breast cancer and breast cancer paddling. Mark O’Connor is not afraid to stand up and be counted and is more than willing to share his story about his diagnosis of breast cancer. Mark has recently suffered a recurrence but is incredibly positive about his future. Mark shares his story with us.
Mark O’Connor, Ireland
Men's BCS Ambassador
I would love to tell you about my story of the journey I've had with breast cancer. In late August 2011 whilst I was on holidays with Tina, my wife and Dylan, my son, in Killarney, I noticed that I had a lump on my left nipple and it seemed to be increasing in size. I vaguely remembered having bumped into a door maybe a month or so previously. Tina said “go to see our GP immediately when we return from holidays”. I saw my GP in early September and was referred to the breast cancer clinic in the Cork University Hospital where I met a consultant named Professor Redmond who examined me and sent me straight off for a mammogram. Once I had the mammogram, he asked me would I mind having a biopsy while I was there. The biopsy results took a week to return so I was asked to return on the following Friday. At this stage I was getting worried but was none the wiser what was coming down the line. Tina and I returned on the following Friday for my appointment with the consultant and it seemed like we were kept waiting for an eternity. When we learnt the devastating news that I had breast cancer, I was totally gobsmacked and Tina became hysterical. When the doctor examined me, I asked “what's the plan” and he said “we can operate on the following Thursday”. I wasn’t waiting a minute longer and I asked if he would cut it out then and there?
The following Thursday I had a mastectomy of my left breast and luckily there was a full clearance of my lymph nodes. Subsequently I started chemotherapy in November for 7 months. I lost all my hair, my fingernails and my toenails and I managed to pick up several infections and had to be hospitalised a couple of times. I also underwent 25 radiotherapy treatments in 2012.
My consultant physician told me about ARC house. It's a place for people going through cancer treatments where you can receive counselling, massages, and other treatments to help you deal with what you've been through.
My counsellor suggested to me that there was an open day being held for dragon boating on the 22nd of September 2012 and she thought it would be good for me to try it out as I previously had a great interest in sports. So off I went and attended the open day and I've never looked back since. Not long after the open day we had a couple of meetings with the people who set up the open day namely Shirley O'Shea of the HSE, Darren Prince of the Prince clinic, Oisin Creagh, and Meithal na Mara, a community-based group who gave us access to Dragon boats.
So, roll on to October 2016 and Deborah Bonner contacts me and asks if I would I mind giving a speech in Solis Castle in Donegal about male breast cancer and its effects on me. The theme of the night was “Real Men Wear Pink”. This is where the idea for the Wild Atlantic Warriors was spawned with Deborah, Lisa Power and myself. So, we approached our own clubs with the idea and subsequently had our first meeting in February 2017. Then Florence became a dream come true for the Wild Atlantic Warriors and so began the work of trying to get everyone together for training sessions etc and get ready for Florence 2018. It was truly amazing to be in Florence with all my friends, team mates and new friends.
I'm a happier, healthier and better person for my introduction to Dragon boating. One gift breast cancer gave me, is knowing how precious life is, and the different attitude I take to life every day in trying to live it to the full, along with all the amazing people I've met along the way, through dragon boating. My motto is “if in doubt, check it out”, that's what doctors are there for and early detection and intervention is the key. Also keep looking forward as looking back is only for parking cars.
Paddles up,
Mark.
NEW NATIONAL REPRESENTATIVES
Elizabeth Ford, IBCPC National Rep for British Columbia Island, Canada
New National Representative
I was born and raised in Alberta where I began my teaching career. In 1987 I moved to Ontario for a one-year M.Ed. program. Twenty-eight years later, I returned to the west. I began dragon boating in 2012 with SNCC Hope Floats in Welland, Ontario. I was amazed by the supportive breast cancer survivors’ dragon boat community I discovered when I joined that team. Hope Floats showed me that a full, healthy life was possible after breast cancer. Through participating in all their activities and festivals I realized that a BCS dragon boat team is far more than a sports team; it is a community of friends who give each other social and emotional support.
My husband’s career was evolving and we briefly moved to Kingston in 2014 where I paddled with the Chestmates. In October 2014, I flew to Sarasota for the IBCPC Participatory Festival as the Captain of the Grape Canadian Survivors. This composite team had paddlers from SNCC Hope Floats, Hope Chest from Buffalo NY, and Survivors’ Abreast in Peterborough. That experience, paddling on a composite team and going to the IBCPC Participatory Festival, showed me again how vibrant the breast cancer survivor dragon boat community is.
My husband’s career continued to change; as he looked for work, my only criteria for location was, “Do they have a survivors’ dragon boat team?” I knew I would have a community of support from the moment we arrived in our new home, wherever that would be, as long as there was a dragon boat team. His new job brought us to Victoria where I joined the Island Breastrokers in 2015. I was the captain for IBS when they went to Florence for the 2018 IBCPC Participatory Festival. Paddling with IBS continues to be a fantastic experience as they fully encompass the IBCPC motto that “exercise is medicine”.
I look forward to sharing information about festivals, events and all things dragon boating with the BC Island teams.
Chantal Lachance, IBCPC National Rep for Quebec and Eastern Provinces, Canada
New National Representative
I am a mother of 2 (16 and 18). I am originally from Quebec City but love to move around. Worked and also lived in PEI, Toronto and Calgary. I am a full-time High School teacher. I used to work for the “Ontario Insurance Commission” before they merged with The Pension Commission. I worked for the “Club Windows” at the Skydome (Bitove Corporation) worked at the Molson Indy. Catered parties for the Toronto Raptors. I was a tour guide for a few years here in Quebec City, Toronto and Montreal and a flight attendant based in Calgary. I like change!
I was diagnosed with TNBC in 2010 at the age of 37. We were actually in the process of finalizing our documents to move to Australia for a few years, which never happened.
I still want to go!
I ran into the Captain of the Vise-à-Vie team at a Run for the Cure Race. Didn’t know what she was talking about but I signed up for it. My first trial with dragon boat was sitting on the ground, on the side of a pool at a nearby college and learning how to paddle there! Sometimes I wonder why I was hooked!
Many months later I sat in an actual boat! I guess if I had wanted to quit, I would have done it while paddling on the side of a pool! I met the whole team and just fell in love with them. I was the youngest of all. Lots of my teammates could have been my mother. The two other recruits and myself brought a more competitive side to the team. I couldn’t imagine putting in so much effort twice a week during training and not want to “compete” or even try to “compete”. I just couldn’t understand why “my” team couldn’t be as good as all the others.
Unfortunately, or fortunately for the sport, more women joined the team and they were more into dragon boating as a “sport” than a social activity. We still use the sport as a time to socialize but we like to win!
I learned about Rethink Breast Cancer by being invited at the Breast Fest which they produced. I worked with them for a few years and was also invited to workshops where I met many wonderful women. I was also part of the first Stretch Heal and Grow yoga retreat, which was amazing.
I love to meet new people from around the world and learn about their journey. I love to go around to talk with different teams when we compete.
Peg Hurley, IBCPC National Rep for South and Central Ontario, Canada.
New National Representative
Peg has been our …. rep for some time, and has reinforced her commitment to the region now that she is retired from her work life.
In 1994, I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer at the age of 31, a very lonely place to be.
Until the two words: Dragon Boat entered and enriched my life! Since then this team sport has changed my life in so many ways.
-Founding member of the Wonder roads BCS team Canada
-Captain- 18 years and current
-Executive Board Member(WonderBroads)
- Supporter/Starter Dragon Boat Club Windsor, Ontario
-Certified Level 1 DBC coach
-Certified Level 2 DBC competitive coach
-Accredited DBC Steersperson
-IBCPC NR
-Woman of Influence Recipient
International and domestic travel include Australia, Club Crew Championships Italy,
Ireland, Kentucky, Vancouver and so many other exciting regattas!
Currently I reside on our century old farm that my Irish grandparents settled when they moved to Canada.
After a successful career at Chrysler Canada, I recently retired and am enjoying all the time on the farm with my golden retriever Stella! We also enjoy visiting beautiful Northern Ontario on the lake.
I look forward to meeting and working with old and new friends around the world to continue the amazing strides of BCS dragon boat paddling.
I am eternally grateful to my family and friends for all of their support during this learning journey.
Paddles Up!
Peg Hurley
Colleen Ridley, IBCPC National Rep for the Prairie Provinces, Canada
New National Representative
A little bit about me. My name is Colleen Ridley, and I paddled for almost a decade with the GI Janes crew in Winnipeg, then a hiatus until 2020. I proudly joined Chemo Savvy having survived breast cancer, and am pleased to promote "exercise is medicine" even through COVID. The sisterhood in Chemo Savvy, and the incredible bravery inspires me. I have a patient husband, two grown children and a beloved cat, and I especially enjoy wintering in Arizona. I am a military housing manager, wrapping up a 35-year career as a public servant, and I look forward to attending more dragon boat festivals at home, across Canada, and around the world.
Claire Fiaschi, IBCPC National Rep for the North of France
New National Representative
A year before she was diagnosed with breast cancer, Claire watched a documentary about the first crew of dragon ladies in France. It must have been a sign of fate, this crew was in Reims, her hometown! So, it was only natural that in November 2013, after her diagnosis and mastectomy that she went to meet Dragon Ladies de Reims- Ensemble pour Elles.
Since February 2014, she has been paddling, steer or drummer for her team. She discovered the "competition" and all the strength of the BCS in Florence in 2018, and dreams that this spirit will win for France. She has been president of the association Ensemble pour Elles since October 2015.
She has been married for 33 years, mother of 4 children and grandmother of 2 wonderful little men.
NEWLY ESTABLISHED COUNTRY LIAISONS (CL’s)
In countries with less than three teams, we have established the position of Country Liaison. Our first of those CL’s are noted below.
Malaysia: Debbie Wong
New Country Liaison
Debbie Wong Lai Yin is a 53-year-old Financial Advisor and also a full-time single mom to her dear son Lucas (aged 17). Debbie was born in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia and was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015 and had then underwent surgery and necessary treatments for 1.5 years. During that time, she was still very active with her work, mum duties and also cycling life.
Debbie is a passionate cyclist and cycles to places and has been touring around states and countries on her bicycle. She even cycles to hospital for all her chemotherapy sessions.
In late 2017 Debbie had a relapse and had a bilateral mastectomy and chemotherapy again, but this did not stop her from staying active and positive. This has made her an even stronger person today.
Debbie, is a very positive and active person in many activities and also in several different sports. She believes in order to lead a healthy life and to keep the Big C or even any other diseases away, Exercise is the keyword. She loves to encourage and show a good example of staying active in sports especially group and team sports because team sports make life fun and happier with great company and camaraderie.
Debbie came to know about dragon boating in 2016 and since then joined Pink Challengers Malaysia (BC team) and started actively paddling with the team since 2017. Not only did dragon boating help her prevent lymphedema she also found love and passion in this sport.
The team spirit and the camaraderie she gets from her team mates is truly amazing. The moments, the experiences, and knowledge that all BC survivors have gone through and share is priceless. She is so blessed to have found dragon boating as another sport, also to have found great friends from this sport, and is very grateful to her team.
Debbie was nominated to be The President of Pink Challengers Malaysia in 2020. Debbie has worked hard with her team to raise funds, create awareness and has also managed to achieve the team’s dream to own their own dragon boat, named Onn Na. Despite the pandemic and all the obstacles, the team have had to face, Debbie and her team are determined to work even harder for a better, fitter and stronger team in the future. Pink Challenger paddles for Courage, Strength and Change. Pink Challengers Malaysia is so looking forward to New Zealand in 2023.
Cyprus: Maria Miltiadous
New Country Liaison
I started paddling in 2017 with Raging Mouflons as the first paddler of a newly founded Pink Mouflons team. The team was founded in 2016 by a group of women with no experience of cancer and who themselves were paddling in the Raging Mouflons team. They recruited me and I was the first Breast Cancer Survivor in the club (Cyprus Mouflons PaddleSports). I joined the practice sessions with great enthusiasm. In 2015, I was diagnosed with breast cancer but I was not aware of pink dragon boating teams until 2017, when the team manager informed me of the existence of pink dragon boating teams around the world. After thorough research, I discovered the benefits of this sport for women who have gone through breast cancer. When I realised how beneficial the sport is, I decided to contact the president of Europa Donna Cyprus as the first pink paddler in Cyprus in order to organise an awareness event which would aim to inform breast cancer survivors on the importance of team exercise as well as to exchange information. Europa Donna Cyprus and its President embraced this endeavor that could possibly encourage other women to join the sport and create a pink team. In April 2018, the Cyprus Federation of Dragon Boat organised the 10th International Dragon Boat Festival in Limassol, Cyprus. With the arrival of the International Pink Sisters, the first BCS team to visit the island, we had the amazing opportunity to invite members of Europa Donna to experience the thrill of paddling for the first time. This was an opportunity for us to create our own pink team,Pink Mouflons. Pink Mouflons is a ten-member team who attempt to inform other women about the sport. In 2019, I paddled with the International Pink Sisters in Amsterdam at the Boosban Festival. We also paddled on the Amsterdam canals and Iwas thoroughly amazed at the response we got from the public. We had crowds of people cheering us on, all along the canals for a total of 25 km. It made me realise what a great way this was to spread breast cancer awareness. In 2020, we were invited by the Pink Lionesses of Israel to travel to Israel. We participated in the Sea of Galilee Festival.This was another truly magnificent experience. I, as the team's captain, aim to encourage as many women as possible to join the sport and to recognise the positive impacts the sport has on our physical and mental health. Interacting with other breast cancer survivors can bring optimism. It leads us into understanding that we are well and we are doing something we love . We make friendships and we create life experiences. As a team, we also aim to create a second team in another city so more breast cancer survivors can practice systematically. We will always support them to be better and stronger. We will be attending the 2023 IBCPC Festival in New Zealand as part of thePink Vienna Dragons International.
Belgium: Carine Van Hoppe
New Country Liaison
Carine Van Hoppe is 57 years old and a breast cancer survivor since 2013. She is married and mother of a son and a daughter.
In 2015 she was one of the ladies who had the opportunity to join a Pink Ribbon initiative to Venice/Italie where they met the Pink Lioness and learned about the Pink Dragonboat paddling.
In 2016 she started one of the 3 teams Pink Ribbonettes, she is a member and the responsible of the Pink Ribbonettes Turnhout.
Denmark: Helen Lexner Munck
New Country Liaison
Helen Lexner Munck was born in Copenhagen, Denmark in January 1962.
In 2016 she had routine mammography and was diagnosed with DCIS, early stage. She underwent adjuvant breast cancer therapy, underwent lumpectomy followed by chemotherapy, radiation. Helen also received Herceptin and hormone therapy. Finally, she also received eight bisphosphonate treatments.
In early 2017 while undergoing chemotherapy, Helen, always physically active participated in a fitness project for cancer patients. During 6 weeks she rode her bike to the gym 4 times a week to exercise with other cancer patients under the safe supervision of physiotherapists, personal trainers, and medical staff.
During the program, she met a physiotherapist, MHS, Ph.D. Kira Bloomquist. Her specific expertise relates to understanding the physical and psychosocial concerns faced following cancer, in particular lymphedema, and the role of exercise in cancer recovery.
Together with Kira, Helen and 24 other Danish breast cancer survivors they co-founded Danish Dragon Abreast and established the first BCS team in Denmark, Copenhagen Dragon Boat Team. The main goal at the time was to participate in the IBCPCs event in Firenze in July 2018. They successfully did – what an amazing adventure it was!
Helen is a keen paddler and is the elected chair of the Danish Dragon Abreast committee. She is responsible for Communication, PR, Fundraising, and more. She is collaborating with the Danish Cancer Society and DKK (Danish Canoe and Kayak Society) representing the Dragon Boat Sport in Denmark. After a couple of years of struggling for acknowledgment, they have now taken great interest in the team and are offering their support, thanks to Helen’s efforts.
Helen is a great networker and she loves to travel around the world and is always making new friends. Copenhagen Dragon Boat Team welcomes all their sisters for a paddle in Copenhagen.
She is the mother of 2 adult sons, working full time and as most Danes, she is always getting around on her bike. She is looking forward to joining the IBCPC community and meeting many more of the BCS paddlers of the world.
MORE TO COME...
We will have more new people to introduce in our next newsletter!
Paddles up!
Meri Gibson
President
IBCPC
