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The first and only breast cancer survivor team in the Philippines won their very first two gold medals last October.

The Cebu Pink Paddlers Dragon boat team was recently organized March of this year, just seven months prior to their first gold. Composed of 14 members, all breast cancer survivors, started paddling for breast cancer awareness and winning in the international arena.

In an interview with RAFI, Cebu Pink Paddlers team captain Anne Georgia
Solante said that their gold medal victory was definitely a team effort, having a mission of raising awareness for breast cancer and showing to all Filipinos that this is a sport worth supporting for.

“One thing good about this sport is that Dragon boating is a team [effort] sport. We help each other, we think of each other on the boat, we learn to fail and succeed together, we need to be synchronized in order to achieve our goal. Bugsay together like the mantra of RAFI.” Georgia Solante, Cebu Pink Paddlers team captain, said.

The Cebu Pink Paddlers won the Breast Cancer Survivor (BCS) 500m race
category in the 2017 Taiwan Keelung International Dragon Boat Festival, held at the Keelung Harbor in Keelung City, Taiwan with 5:09.140 time record.

Their competitors, the Long Beach Pink Dragons of USA finished in with
5:26.740 and Dragon Abreast Hongkong finished with 5:41.800 finishing second and third, respectively.

And on the second leg of the competition with 200m race to finish, the Cebuano paddlers ended strong with 1 minute and 57.29 seconds. Giving them their second gold victory.

“What people don’t know is that this was the most challenging race that we had done so far, during the first five strokes, our boat nearly flipped over because of some circumstance, good thing we as a team managed to think fast and made our way to finish the race.” She said.

“The shorter the length of the race the more difficult it becomes, because in our experience, we have to be accurate and fast as possible in just a very short span of time in order to win, and that’s one of the challenges that we have faced and conquered as a team.”

Despite this gold medal finish, the team remained humble. “Wala ni namo
maabot kining tagumpay nga kami-kami ra.” (We did not achieve this victory on our own.) Solante humbly said.

“In behalf of the whole Cebu Pink Paddlers Dragon boat team, I would like to thank our Team Manager, Neil Richard Kintanar. Our coach, Coach Christian Ian Sy.

Our Sports Medicine Doctors, Doctor Rhoel O. Dejaño, Dr. Byron Garcia and Dr. Diana Nebria and to our Physical Therapist Billy John Remedio”

In spite of this recent success, team captain Solante still hopes for the continuous support for their team from different organizations and local government units.

“Right now, we are facing different challenges as a team especially in the financial aspect; there are lots of racing opportunities offered to us that we have to turn down because of financial constraints

For example, back when we were racing in Taiwan, we have been invited to race this October in Australia, as well as in Penang, Malaysia on the first week of December, but we have to turn both opportunities down for
lack of funding.”

“I hope the government and other organizations would support us and this sport in general. Because I think, we have great future with Dragon boating.” She added.

The team is composed of team captain and paddler Anne Georgia Crystal-
Solante, drummer Janice Fabroa-Kintanar, Steerwoman Levi Avelides, Paddlers Mirasol Mislos Viñas, Mary Ann Sacristan-Bojos, Eleonor Avenido-Mercado, Aida Ibones-de los Reyes, Marichu Enriquez-Dumoran.

On the stroke side, Ma. Liberty Albizo-Rañoa, Rosalie Valentino-Cobre, Sarah Jane Apjag-Villegs, Eden Cabaguing-Paluca, Judith Piramide-Beltran, Nonieta O. Percy, Maribeth Dy. There are also new recruits namely, Flor Vicente-Mangapis and Teofila Sagosoy Ladera.

Team Captain Solante also said that they are still looking for new members and hoping to welcome their very first male member. “We don’t have a male member yet but we are looking forward that one will be on board very soon, just message us through our Facebook page.” She added.

“Teamwork, hard work, focus, determination, discipline, passion, love of the sport are some keys in achieving our goal and success. We did all our best because this is what we trained for.” Team captain Solante, said.

At the end of the day this victory is victory for all breast cancer survivors and those who are recently diagnosed with cancer; an evidence that there is still life after being diagnosed with cancer, and we should always remember that no matter how strong the waves are, as long as we continue to celebrate and paddle in life, we will definitely succeed: a gold medal finish.

Witness the triumphant journey of our brave breast cancer survivors, watch this video now!