Courage, resilience & unity found in a Hungarian dragon boat

When a team of Hungarian breast cancer survivors drive their paddles into the water at their first dragon boat festival in May, they’ll have two Sistership Calgary members cheering them on.

Juliet Cruz and Cyndie McOuat were both part of a group of international volunteers who traveled to Szeged, Hungary, last fall to take part in an outreach initiative to introduce local women to the possibility of forming a breast cancer survivor dragon boat team. There, they were joined by a host of women from other countries including France, Croatia, Israel, U.S.A., as well as Canada. 

Being part of the effort, explains Cyndie and Juliet, was as much a life-changing experience for them as it was for the women in Szeged.

“We learned that in Hungary, there is a very different attitude when it comes to breast cancer. Women can often face a stigma that can lead to a sense of unworthiness, social isolation and even an attitude that they are not suitable for marriage,” says Cyndie. “We wanted to encourage these women so that they can prove to themselves that quite the opposite is true.”

And prove it they did — but it wasn’t easy. On the first day of the program, just four of the Hungarian women who pre-registered showed up.

“Several women were wary of participating. The next day, however, a few more showed up, and then a few more, “says Cyndie. “Eventually, by the end of the week, we had 30 participants and enough to fill two boats.”

As much as this outreach program had the potential to be a life-changing experience for the group of Hungarian paddlers, it left an equally indelible mark on Cyndie and Juliet. 

“This was one of the most powerful and meaningful experiences of my life,” explains Juliet. “It was so much more than paddling—it was about reclaiming strength, healing and hope. Many of the women stepped into a dragon boat for the first time. Each paddle stroke symbolized courage, resilience, unity, a refusal to give up, and the determination to move forward after breast cancer. We became one team paddling in rhythm, encouraging one another, and proving that no one has to face their journey alone. Szeged will always hold a special place in my heart.”

Cyndie concurs.

“Even though there was a language barrier, we were still able to communicate with each other using gestures, translation, and other means,” says Cyndie. “Sometimes connection is possible just because of a shared experience. I feel that this is very much a factor among breast cancer survivors. We all want to feel empowered, challenged, worthy and well. This experience helped make this happen. I’d encourage anyone who has the opportunity to take part in these kinds of outreach programs to do it.”