Italians Celebrate
Ten Years of Paddling
By Mariagrazia Punzo
Pink Butterflies, Rome, Italy
Italian women in celebration of Rome's Pink Butterflies' tenth
year of paddling
Today is May 11th, I gaze up into the sky, there isn't much
sun, but, it will shine. I redirect my eyes to the lake, it's a
bit rough, but it will calm down! Our friends are joining
us as they are coming from all over Italy; our small pink
colour is spreading and getting bigger and bigger.
The smiles are multiplying and illuminating the
uncertain day. There are so many hello's and hugs – I
cannot stop. Rome, Latina, Empoli, Florence, Milan,
Pavia, Bergamo, Turin, Venice, Mestre, Cavallino-
Jesolo, Cagliari and our special guests from Australia's
Bribie Islands. Congratulatory messages have been
received from Chioggia, Pisa and Catania.
The air we are breathing is full of celebration, the
day is becoming brighter as the meadows are filling
up around us with adventurous friends with paddles
in hand. The lake appears angry, but once we are in
the boat we feel welcomed and we glide along on its
choppy waters to the rhythm of the drums. I am used to
seeing women suffering and frightened but today their
spirit has been transformed to strong and combative
A boat full of people are following us closely:
applauding, smiling and continually taking photos. A
camera focuses on our dragon boat, it is Rai Sport
(National TV) and closely follows our races and our
laps in the water.
It is amazing to see how many doctors have accepted
our invitation.Amongst those who joined us are breast
specialists, surgeons, oncologists, plastic surgeons
and physiotherapists from the largest hospitals in
Rome. Prof. Masetti President of Susan Komen Italy
is our biggest supporter. They are all floating around
and through the middle of our pink colour; looking
at us in amazement, intrigued by our energy and our
desire to live.
Representatives from all of the institutions are
present: the Lazio Region, the Mayor and Aldermen
of the town of Castel Gandolfo, Coni Lazio (Region's
committee), the Italian Canoe and Kayak Federation.
Olympic champions such as Daniele Scarpa, Antonio
Scaduto and Andrea Facchin wear our pink shirt and
have their pictures taken with us.
Today a dream comes true: celebrating 10 years with
our doctors, who we convinced that participating in
this sport does make us feel good; with the representatives of the institutions and the world of sports
that have listened to and supported us. They are here
because they believe in us and in our project of life
and are able to attest with their own eyes to how much
we want to live, all thanks to our pink paddles.
It has been 10 years of adventures, travel, meetings,
new found lively friendships and the millions of
paddle strokes in all waters from the North to the
South of Italy and still there is so much more we have
to do...and Italy will turn the color pink!
During the flower ceremony tears mingle with smiles,
the adrenaline fades into sadness and even into anger.
This is the only time where you see our suffering from
the disease and for the friends we have lost. When
we throw the flowers into the air, this is the most
powerful and direct delivery of our message, the cry
of liberation. Picking up our paddles as we picked up
our lives with the energy and desire to live, our smile
is the victory over our fear.
Looking at my friends and all the friends who are
with us I feel truly happy and proud to have made
our contribution to the spreading of our message.
Together we are strong and we can change the lives of
so many women, as our lives have changed, thanks to
the dragon boat.
Here's to all the paddling women in the world, Thank
you and Paddles Up!
Page 4
Ten Years of Paddling
By Mariagrazia Punzo
Pink Butterflies, Rome, Italy
Italian women in celebration of Rome's Pink Butterflies' tenth
year of paddling
Today is May 11th, I gaze up into the sky, there isn't much
sun, but, it will shine. I redirect my eyes to the lake, it's a
bit rough, but it will calm down! Our friends are joining
us as they are coming from all over Italy; our small pink
colour is spreading and getting bigger and bigger.
The smiles are multiplying and illuminating the
uncertain day. There are so many hello's and hugs – I
cannot stop. Rome, Latina, Empoli, Florence, Milan,
Pavia, Bergamo, Turin, Venice, Mestre, Cavallino-
Jesolo, Cagliari and our special guests from Australia's
Bribie Islands. Congratulatory messages have been
received from Chioggia, Pisa and Catania.
The air we are breathing is full of celebration, the
day is becoming brighter as the meadows are filling
up around us with adventurous friends with paddles
in hand. The lake appears angry, but once we are in
the boat we feel welcomed and we glide along on its
choppy waters to the rhythm of the drums. I am used to
seeing women suffering and frightened but today their
spirit has been transformed to strong and combative
A boat full of people are following us closely:
applauding, smiling and continually taking photos. A
camera focuses on our dragon boat, it is Rai Sport
(National TV) and closely follows our races and our
laps in the water.
It is amazing to see how many doctors have accepted
our invitation.Amongst those who joined us are breast
specialists, surgeons, oncologists, plastic surgeons
and physiotherapists from the largest hospitals in
Rome. Prof. Masetti President of Susan Komen Italy
is our biggest supporter. They are all floating around
and through the middle of our pink colour; looking
at us in amazement, intrigued by our energy and our
desire to live.
Representatives from all of the institutions are
present: the Lazio Region, the Mayor and Aldermen
of the town of Castel Gandolfo, Coni Lazio (Region's
committee), the Italian Canoe and Kayak Federation.
Olympic champions such as Daniele Scarpa, Antonio
Scaduto and Andrea Facchin wear our pink shirt and
have their pictures taken with us.
Today a dream comes true: celebrating 10 years with
our doctors, who we convinced that participating in
this sport does make us feel good; with the representatives of the institutions and the world of sports
that have listened to and supported us. They are here
because they believe in us and in our project of life
and are able to attest with their own eyes to how much
we want to live, all thanks to our pink paddles.
It has been 10 years of adventures, travel, meetings,
new found lively friendships and the millions of
paddle strokes in all waters from the North to the
South of Italy and still there is so much more we have
to do...and Italy will turn the color pink!
During the flower ceremony tears mingle with smiles,
the adrenaline fades into sadness and even into anger.
This is the only time where you see our suffering from
the disease and for the friends we have lost. When
we throw the flowers into the air, this is the most
powerful and direct delivery of our message, the cry
of liberation. Picking up our paddles as we picked up
our lives with the energy and desire to live, our smile
is the victory over our fear.
Looking at my friends and all the friends who are
with us I feel truly happy and proud to have made
our contribution to the spreading of our message.
Together we are strong and we can change the lives of
so many women, as our lives have changed, thanks to
the dragon boat.
Here's to all the paddling women in the world, Thank
you and Paddles Up!
Page 4
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