Each year the Breast Buddies’ season ends at the same time as the Jr Maroons’ schedule begins .
Members of the 22/23 Maroons continued the tradition started in 2014 by paddling with the Breast Buddies Dragon Boat team during their final practice of the summer.
They traded their hockey sticks for paddles and experienced what it takes to propel a dragon boat in unison towards the finish line.
The BREAST BUDDIES are a group of breast cancer survivors who have taken up the sport of dragon boat racing. Their mission is to promote awareness of a quality of life after a diagnosis of breast cancer. In doing so, they impart hope and empowerment to all with this disease. On or off the water, they are a visible sign to others that there is life after a breast cancer diagnosis.
Following their time in the water the Maroons helped pull the boat from the river then helped power wash and scrub it so that it can be stored for the winter.
By having the Team paddle with the Breast Buddies it is the goal of the Chatham Maroons Hockey Club not only to create awareness of the fight against breast cancer but for the players to experience paddling with these survivors .