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A Peterborough dragon boat team is preparing to take the local community onto the international stage in France.
Twenty-two members of Survivors Abreast Peterborough, along with their coach, will travel to Aix-les-Bains for the 2026 International Breast Cancer Paddlers’ Commission Participatory Dragon Boat Festival.
The team is made up of breast cancer survivors from Peterborough and surrounding communities who are at various stages of treatment, recovery and survivorship.
This year’s festival is expected to be the largest in the event’s history, bringing together about 4,500 breast cancer survivors on 170 teams representing 37 countries.
For Survivors Abreast, the trip continues a tradition of participating in the international festival that stretches back more than 15 years. Peterborough hosted the event in 2010, with the local team later travelling to Sarasota, Florida in 2014, Florence, Italy in 2018 and Waikato, New Zealand in 2023.
The breast cancer survivor dragon boat movement itself has Canadian roots. It began in Vancouver in 1996 when Dr. Don McKenzie developed a program challenging the prevailing belief that breast cancer survivors should avoid strenuous upper-body exercise because of concerns about lymphedema.
Dragon boat paddling eventually grew into an international movement focused on physical activity, camaraderie and breast cancer awareness.
Survivors Abreast is also well known locally for organizing the Peterborough Dragon Boat Festival. The event celebrated its 25th anniversary in June and has raised more than $5 million in support of breast and other cancer screening, diagnosis and treatment at Peterborough Regional Health Centre.
The France festival begins with the Parade of Nations and opening ceremonies August 27. Two days of racing will follow, featuring 500- and 200-metre events, along with the Sandy Smith Global Finale race, a special flower ceremony and closing ceremonies August 29.
The Peterborough paddlers have been training to improve their technique, endurance and ability to work together as one team.
Their coach has provided a message that has helped guide that preparation: “Strength is not in one paddle alone, but in every heartbeat moving forward.”
Survivors Abreast says the team is grateful for the community support that has helped make the journey possible, including fundraising through fashion shows, golf tournaments, yard sales and wine cork collections.
Several members will be attending their first international festival alongside veteran paddlers as Survivors Abreast represents Peterborough and area at the global gathering.
