Fran

Meeting the Wellness Warriors has been a gift for me.

In 2022, Wellness Warriors had earned an All Cancer Paddlers berth to the 2024 World Crew Championships. That fall, they scheduled and hosted a winter weekend paddling workshop to strengthen their team. As is WW tradition, other survivor teams were invited to participate. I attended with paddlers from my Pink Lightning Dragonboat Team.

We had great coaches, were challenged and worked hard on technique, cheered one another on, shared meals and simply had a great time. At dinner one night, a team member and I joked that “if they had a last minute need for someone to carry paddles to the Italy based championships”, they should call.

And much to my surprise, the following spring I received a call. As sometimes happens on survivor teams, a health crisis had upset their roster and the question was – I know this is short notice, but can you join us ?

I’m a decade long survivor paddler. I love the water and value the companionship of survivors on their journeys with me. My daughter lives in the Boston area, and we were planning to move here after retirement. I think this was a match meant to be.

I commuted to Boston, trained and prepared for the Championships, and enjoyed every moment of the challenge on the Charles River and in Italy.

This team is very committed to support in recovery, wellness and prevention advocacy. Team members have helped with every aspect of our move to Massachusetts, from finding realtors and insurance agents, to ushering us through the medical system in a time of crisis.

It’s a delight to be here now paddling regularly with a team that truly supports each other.