Shiela Blair
Sheila is pleased to be paddling in the Vogalonga Festival with Forza Rosa and is looking forward to meeting both the Venice and Florence teams. In 1990 she was diagnosed and had surgery thankfully since then has not had any complications. As a result of her participation with dragon boat teams she has made many wonderful friends. Initially the paddling helped her feel stronger both physically and mentally. She hopes to share this feeling of well being with newly diagnosed women. Her husband Vern is accompanying her to Venice and he hopes to paddle with some of their friends and families. After the festival they plan on visiting other areas of the Veneto region and Italy.

Jean Buckley
Jean Buckley is Irish by birth and Canadian by choice. She spent her teens in an “all girls” boarding school where she became an independent spirit. In 1979, Jean completed medical school and specialized in Radiology. In July 1985, she arrived in Vancouver and instantly fell in love with this great city and currently works as a Radiologist at Vancouver General Hospital. Together with her sweet husband John, they divide their time between Whistler, Vancouver and a lakeside home and love to travel. Jean is an avid sports participant, especially in running, skiing, swimming, cycling. Jean’s life “stopped” suddenly in Sept. 1999 when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Following a year of treatment and healing she joined Abreast In A Boat in the 2001 season and became a keen dragon boat paddler. As a Radiologist, a cancer survivor and through the association with Abreast In A Boat she become an advocate for breast cancer prevention, treatment and ultimately one day a “cure”. Jean is keen to share the motto of healthy living and hope with other breast cancer survivors around the world. “Our “real” race is breast cancer and collectively we can conquer it!”

Karen Carlberg
In October 2002 at age 46 Karen was I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer. Her treatment included two surgeries, chemotherapy and radiation. She got through the many months of treatment with the support of family and friends, especially her husband Mark and daughters Krista and Kathryn, who at the time were 18 and 14. During her treatment amazing new friends came into her life. One important lady, a fitness instructor, also a cancer survivor, encouraged her to continue mild aerobic exercise classes during treatment. Today, Karen regularly attends aerobic and pilates classes and since 2004 has been dragon boat paddling with a fabulous group of women. Karen is employed fulltime as a counsellor for a government agency. She enjoys spending her spare time sewing, knitting, decorating her house, gardening and travelling. Most of all she loves watching her daughters dance and spending time with her family.

Linda Collins
I have a wonderful husband named Floyd. Floyd helped me raise 3 amazing children. One of them, our daughter Zoe, is a conservation biologist. Zoe is planning to meet up with the Forza Rosa boat crew in Venice for the Vogalonga so she can cheer the team on. We plan to go to Madama Butterfly at Teatro La Fenice, and generally have a grand time. I am a website developer and volunteer for the Olympics. I work out, ski and am a dragon boat steersperson. In 2002, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I lost one breast and my hair. My hair grew back thicker than before and the doctors built me a new breast that is better than the old one, so I feel I came out ahead. I rarely think about it anymore. I am looking forward to meeting the Italian women who invited the Forza Rosa team to join them in the Vogalonga.

Pat Cryder
Pat has recently celebrated the 16th anniversary since diagnosis. In 1996, Pat had the joy and challenge of paddling with the original Abreast In A Boat dragon boat team. In this floating support group of amazing women, she regained her sense of wellness and hope. She lives life to the fullest each day.
Pat spends her special time with family (including 5 perfect grandchildren) and friends. Her interests include, music, gardening, reading, travel, fitness and volunteer activities. Pat is thrilled to be going to Venice for first time and to paddle in the Vogalonga.




Carol Dale
Carol was diagnosed and treated for breast cancer in 1991. She is one of Dr. Don McKenzie's original lab rats. Since diagnosis and treatment she has been celebrating milestones. In 1996 she started dragon boating and has not stopped. In honour of her 60th birthday in 1999 she trekked in Nepal. This year in honour of her 70th birthday, with Forza Rosa she is delighted to be participating in the Venice Vogalonga with her Canadian and Italian friends. There have been a multitude of other reasons for her to celebrate in between. She has been a bookseller for over 40 years and has been a keen 'armchair traveller' but now embraces the real thing.




Jane Frost
In 1996 Jane Frost along with 23 other women living with breast cancer (four of whom will be in Venice), participated in a medical project under the guidance of Dr. Don McKenzie. Dr. McKenzie's six month project to study the effects of exercise on women treated for breast cancer turned into a Canadian legend: Abreast In A Boat. After that first season it was Jane's idea to take Abreast In A Boat to paddle in an international dragon boat festival in Wellington, New Zealand in 1998. The rest is history....as they say. Jane was first treated for breast cancer in 1986 at the age of 36 and in 1999 was diagnosed with metastasis. Thanks to Dr. McKenzie's wise advice, she views her cancer as a chronic disease and gets on with life. She loves to travel and spend time with family and friends. Jane has a full time job as a negotiator representing Canada's interests in settling land claims with Canada's First Nation people.
Jane believes that this adventure, paddling in the Vogalonga with the Italian breast cancer teams is a new and innovative opportunity to raise awareness about life after breast cancer.


Gail Konantz
Gail is an original breast cancer paddler and has been living with breast cancer for more than 30 years. With 11 of 17 nodes involved then, she has defied the odds and has given hope to many for a long and happy life. Her motto has always been Carpe Diem with a Vengeance!!! Gail and her husband love to travel. They have taken people on adventure trips, hiking in the Himalaya, and touring India and Indochina.
Not only is gail impassioned about creating a world on canvas in acrylic paint, and living in it until it is completed it is also her meditation technique. Currently Gail is learning italiano, she adores not only the lingua, ma anche le persone for their amore di vita!