the essential
Near Toulouse, on Lake Ramée, the joyful troupe of Dragons Ladies stands out. With their pink t-shirts and their long boat, this team of sportswomen, made up mainly of women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer, gives voice and energy to fight the disease. Reporting.
Anne is tireless. She continues the paddle strokes without even running out of breath for a second. In the front row of the “Dragon Boat”, she sets the rhythm. Despite the intensity, and while others struggle to catch their breath, Anne chats, makes jokes and even sings to encourage her friends in the back.
Read also :
Cancer: “The first patients are doing well and have not relapsed”… where is the vaccine against the disease, in the testing phase in Toulouse?
“It’s a very physical activity. We are athletes before we are people with cancer,” she says, with a broad smile on her lips. “Afterwards, it also does us good for our health. It is a sport which was identified in the 80s as being beneficial for the drainage of our operated arm,” continues one of the driving forces behind the group.
In this funny team of “Dragons Ladies”, everyone has their place on the boat. Beginners and more experienced paddlers can paddle to their heart’s content at least once a week on Lac de la Ramée. “What’s good about this practice is that if you get tired, the boat still moves forward. We can rest and it’s the friends who take over,” admits Annick, a “Ladies” who never stops playing sports.
A ship in good hands
On board this funny boat, with Asian decoration, there is a wonderful atmosphere. And it’s Myriam, aka “Mymy”, who sets the rhythm. In front of her, around twenty women, all of whom have been diagnosed with cancer, put their hearts into their work. “Come on, let’s get ready for a power sequence,” orders the coxswain. No sooner said than done. The dozen “Ladies” perform to the rhythm of the captain.
DDM – Matis Gardent
Together, they can travel dozens of kilometers. “It’s really stimulating! They are full of life. During training, the girls talk to each other and surpass themselves,” says “Mymy”.
Funny ladies
The Toulouse section was created just over eleven years ago for this purpose. Even back then, the goal was to do healthy sports while being able to clear your head: “Here, you can sing, shout and exercise… It’s a real pleasure. We can talk about our health as simply coming to clear our heads,” continues Annick.
DDM – Matis Gardent
Even if inside the boat we chat and sing, we don’t forget the physical performance either. During their weekly outings, the athletes cover a little more than seven or eight kilometers. They also regularly participate in different competitions throughout France and sometimes even outside France.
