Dragons Abreast Central Coast

Dragons Abreast Central Coast Dragons Abreast Central Coast are a team of breast cancer survivors, thrivers & provivers. https://www.ccdragons.org.au/about-us/dragons-abreast-australia/

Based in Toukley, Central Coast, NSW, we compete as ‘Coastbusters’ and invite breast cancer survivors and supporters to COME and TRY the sport of dragon boating. We are members of Dragons Abreast Australia based in Toukley, Central Coast - breast cancer survivors of various ages from a diverse range of backgrounds, athletic abilities and interests. High on our list of priorities is having fun, try

ing new things, meeting interesting people and being involved in a challenging physical activity whilst promoting breast cancer awareness. If you want to: Get fit, Make new friends, Have fun and get in touch with your competitive side.....Then Dragon Boating is the sport for YOU!!! We invite all breast cancer survivors and supporters to come and experience the magic that is part of our unique team - not necessarily as a paddler; there are many tasks that we welcome assistance with.

For Karen Wallwork, this 2026 IBCPC Participatory Dragon Boat Festival, France international breast cancer dragon boat f...
04/08/2026

For Karen Wallwork, this 2026 IBCPC Participatory Dragon Boat Festival, France international breast cancer dragon boat festival will be her third International Breast Cancer Paddlers Commission Dragon Boat Festival, having previously paddled in Florence and New Zealand.

She'll be travelling with her husband, arriving in France a few days before the festival, then spending seven weeks exploring the country before returning to Paris.

Karen will be paddling with Dragons Abreast Australia composite Dragon Boats Australia – Team Unity.

For her, the festival is about far more than racing.

"When you see that many survivors gathered together, it is a sight to behold. A sea of pink, showing cancer that it didn't win."

She says one of the most moving moments is the Flowers on the Water Ceremony, honouring the pink sisters who are no longer with us.
"It is very special. I am so grateful that I can take part, that I am well enough to do this."

One of the highlights she's looking forward to is the Athletes' Parade through the streets of Aix-les-Bains.

"I never thought I would be able to represent my country in anything, and to be recognised is very special."

Ever since returning from her very first IBCPC Festival, Karen has been planning for France 2026.

She and her husband start saving long before each event is even announced, putting aside long service leave and planning years ahead because, as Karen says, there is nothing else like it.

After 12 years of paddling, Karen also carries another perspective.

"I carry those with me that we have lost along the way. The thing that brings us together will unfortunately take some of us away."

It is a reminder that every stroke on the water is shared with those beside us... and those who will always remain in our hearts. 💗🐉







🇫🇷 As our Dragons Abreast Central Coast members prepare for 2026 IBCPC Participatory Dragon Boat Festival, France, eve...
02/08/2026

🇫🇷 As our Dragons Abreast Central Coast members prepare for 2026 IBCPC Participatory Dragon Boat Festival, France, every paddler has their own story.

Natalie Natti Ann Evans already knows what an international dragon boat festival feels like.

She's previously attended international dragon boat festivals in Florence and New Zealand, and this August she'll head to France for her third.

Although Natalie has recently joined Dragons Abreast Central Coast after moving north from Canberra, she'll be paddling with the Dragons Abreast Canberra team in France.

Natalie hadn't planned on going to France this year. Registrations had officially closed almost two years ago, but she'd put her name down as a placeholder.
Then a place became available last minute due to a cancellation.
Natalie's answer?
"FOMO!"

Within just a few weeks she was booking flights, organising accommodation and preparing for France.

She'll be away for about six weeks, spending time in Croatia and France before visiting relatives in London, then travelling on to Scotland, where she'll also take part in the Monster the Loch
dragon boat race.

Natalie booked most of the trip recently because she doesn't always trust her body to behave.

Living with metastatic breast cancer means Natalie doesn't always know what the future will look like. So when the opportunity came along, she said YES.

"I want to keep having a wonderful life. Enjoy today, the here and now, and keep doing things in the now." 💗🐉








🌅 Friday night paddling training on Budgewoi Lake, Toukley🐉With France 2026 fast approaching, this week's dragon boat tr...
01/08/2026

🌅 Friday night paddling training on Budgewoi Lake, Toukley🐉

With France 2026 fast approaching, this week's dragon boat training focus was race preparation. Under the guidance of coaches Janice & Pam, with Leanne on sweep and Michelle Cremer assisting, we worked on race starts, timing, boat run and rhythm before finishing with two full 500-metre race pieces.

A special shout-out to our stroke pair, Annie Owen and Amanda Howard. It was Amanda's first time stroking the boat, and she did a fantastic job keeping the crew together. 👏

The conditions gave us a bit of everything. We started with blue & orange skies, sunshine and calm water before a cool breeze rolled in, making the middle of the lake a little more challenging—perfect training conditions.

🇫🇷 Three Teams. One DACC Spirit. France 2026 🐉One thing many people don't realise is that our Dragons Abreast Central Co...
01/08/2026

🇫🇷 Three Teams. One DACC Spirit. France 2026 🐉

One thing many people don't realise is that our Dragons Abreast Central Coast paddlers won't all be racing in the same boat.

Instead, they'll be joining paddlers from Dragons Abreast clubs across Australia to compete in composite teams at the 2026 IBCPC Participatory Dragon Boat Festival, France.

Swipe through to see the DACC paddlers and the race shirts for each team who'll be proudly representing our club on the world stage. 💙🇫🇷🐉











🖤🦢 (Black) Swan Lake
31/07/2026

🖤🦢 (Black) Swan Lake

31/07/2026

Friday night dragon boat training with Dragons Abreast Central Coast.

Hard to beat paddling into a sunset like this. 🧡🐉

As 10 members of Dragons Abreast Central Coast (DACC) prepare to head to France for the 2026 IBCPC Participatory Dragon ...
30/07/2026

As 10 members of Dragons Abreast Central Coast (DACC) prepare to head to France for the 2026 IBCPC Participatory Dragon Boat Festival, France, I found myself wondering what sits behind the words, "I'm off to France."

It sounds simple.

So I asked Samantha Buse.

This will be Sam's first international dragon boat festival and her first trip to Europe. Until now, Fiji is the furthest she has travelled.

She leaves around 16 August and will be away with her husband for about five to six weeks.

The festival is the reason for the trip, but it has grown into a much bigger European adventure. Along the way they'll visit Nice, Monaco, Venice, Procida, Naples, San Marino, Florence and, finally, the Netherlands before heading home.

The week in France includes the Opening Ceremony, the Nations Parade, racing, dinners, cruises and plenty of opportunities to explore the beautiful lakeside town of Aix-les-Bains.

Sam has been saving for the trip since 2024.

The idea began by listening to other DACC members share their stories from previous international festivals. They'd tell stories about people they'd met overseas, then caught up with again years later at another regatta.
"I saw her again in Italy."
"I caught up with her again in New Zealand."

It was that international friendship and sense of community that captured Sam's imagination. Not just travelling somewhere to race, but becoming part of a community that keeps reconnecting in different parts of the world.

When I asked what she was most looking forward to, she didn't hesitate. "Everything."

Before we finished chatting, she said: "I was busy raising a family. Now it's our turn."

It's not an inexpensive trip. Registration is around $700, accommodation about $4,000, before flights, uniforms and everything else that comes with travelling halfway around the world.

One last thing made me smile.
When Sam gets home, she's not planning to close the travel savings account.
She's leaving it open.
The next international festival is in four years.
She's already saving for that one.

💗🐉








💗 A wonderful feature in The Bugle highlighting the healing power of dragon boating after breast cancer.https://thebugle...
20/07/2026

💗 A wonderful feature in The Bugle highlighting the healing power of dragon boating after breast cancer.

https://thebuglenews.com.au/NewsStory/the-healing-power-of-the-paddle/

The article shares Heather McAlpine's story and explains how Dr Don McKenzie's groundbreaking research changed the long-held belief that women should avoid upper-body exercise after breast cancer treatment. Nearly 30 years later, dragon boating continues to help women rebuild strength, confidence and connection, while showing that paddling can be undertaken safely after treatment.

Congratulations to Dragons Abreast Illawarra on this wonderful feature, and best wishes to Heather, Katrina, Ann Boulton—now paddling with our Dragons Abreast Central Coast team—and Yvette as they represent Australia at the International Breast Cancer Paddlers' Commission Festival in France. 🇦🇺🐉

💗 This was one of the most confronting breast cancer stories we've watched... and one we think our breast cancer communi...
18/07/2026

💗 This was one of the most confronting breast cancer stories we've watched... and one we think our breast cancer community should see.

Content note: This documentary is raw, emotional and confronting.

🎥 Watch the documentary link: https://www.brystkreftstatue.no/en/documentary-film

At Dragons Abreast Central Coast, we celebrate life after a breast cancer diagnosis. This documentary is a powerful reminder that for many women, life continues even when the diagnosis becomes metastatic.

It tells the story of Cecilie and the bronze statue created in her honour outside the Norwegian Parliament, recognising people living with metastatic breast cancer.

One line from the film really stayed with us: "The cancer is a constant reminder to live life, because life is so vulnerable, and can suddenly be taken away."

The sculptor explains that the statue is meant to make us feel uncomfortable.
Perhaps that's because metastatic breast cancer is something many of us would rather not think about. But for those living with it, looking away isn't an option.

Because breast cancer doesn't always end when treatment finishes—and for some women, it never ends.

This isn't a story about fear. It's a tribute to strength, dignity, and living life fully with metastatic breast cancer.

It reminds us that every story matters, and that people living with metastatic breast cancer deserve to be seen—not just for their diagnosis, but for the lives they continue to live.

If you watch it, we'd love to hear what stayed with you.

Our thanks to the creators of the Cecilie statue project in Norway for sharing this powerful story with the world Brystkreftforeningen (Norwegian Breast Cancer Society)

Can Dragon Boating Help After Breast Cancer?One of our new paddlers asked me a really good question at paddling practice...
18/07/2026

Can Dragon Boating Help After Breast Cancer?

One of our new paddlers asked me a really good question at paddling practice:

"I've finished breast cancer treatment, but I'm still getting pain and sensitivity under my arm and down the side of my chest. Will dragon boating help... or could it make it worse?"

I reckon that's something a lot of women wonder before they take the leap and climb into a dragon boat.

The truth is, after breast surgery, lymph node removal and/or radiation, it's really common to be left with tightness, tenderness, reduced movement or discomfort around the shoulder, chest wall and under the arm. Your body has been through a lot.

The good news is that research suggests dragon boating may help.

Not because it's a miracle cure—but because the paddling movement, combined with regular exercise and being part of a supportive team, can help many women:

💗 Rebuild upper body strength and improve everyday function.

💗 Improve movement and mobility of the operated shoulder and arm.

💗 Regain confidence in using their affected arm again.

💗 Reduce fatigue and improve overall physical wellbeing.

💗 Connect with other women who truly understand what the journey is like.

Every woman's recovery is different, but for many of us, dragon boating becomes about so much more than paddling a boat.

It's about trusting your body again.

Have you noticed changes in your own body since you started paddling? We'd love to hear your experience. 💗

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Peel Street
Toukley, NSW
2263

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