COLUMBUS, Ohio — October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and a special group of athletes is using the sport of rowing to empower themselves and raise awareness of the disease.
CORP4BCS is a rowing team made up of breast cancer survivors. They know dedication, skill and teamwork are what it takes to win competitions. But for these women, it’s not just about winning.
“I want to be a healthy, fit, thriver and if rowing is part of the equation, I will do that,” said team member Dilara Casey.
CORP4BCS was formed in 2005 with help from the Westerville Rowing Club. They are a non-profit organization that offers community and support for breast cancer survivors through rowing.
The team has rowed in countless regattas and races and just wrapped up their 2024 season.
“They say exercise is 100% better for you when fighting cancer. Rowing, for me, it’s the ultimate team sport. There is no star player. It’s eight women working together as one,” said Kelly Wagner, one of the founding members of CORP4BCS.
Including Wagner, there are five original members from 2005 who are still on the team. Wagner said that being around women going through similar circumstances made her feel a sense of relief.
“It could be your worst day and once you got there and got on the water and you all started working together, you forgot about your worst day and the things you were worried about,” said Wagner.
Rowing is a tough sport, but these cancer survivors are even tougher. Ranging in age from 47 to 78, the women have found that competition and teamwork did more for their healing journey than they expected.
For Casey, the youngest on the team, finding a survivor group that offered something challenging and unique was a big part of why she joined. She said these women were the most health-focused, upbeat, energetic group of breast cancer survivors she’d ever met.
“We’re not sitting in a circle, holding hands and crying. I mean, sometimes we do. But we’re looking forward and we’re moving forward,” Casey told 10TV. “Cancer wasn’t something that made us slow down. I think it made us amplify and accelerate the way that we live our lives.”
In September, the women traveled to Cleveland to compete in their final race of the season. They came in 4th at the “Head of the Cuyahoga.”
“It’s a really hard, difficult sport,” said Casey. “It’s the only sport that was once a form of torture. So, I think the fact that we all get together and do this challenge together is really unique.”
Both Casey and Wagner say that because of rowing, they’re in the best shape of their lives even after fighting breast cancer.
If you are a breast cancer survivor and interested in being part of team, learning new skills or just making new friends, you can find more information on CORP4BCS by checking out their Facebook page.
If you are between the ages of 21 and 40 and have received a breast cancer diagnosis and are looking for financial support, resources, education and empowerment, you can reach out to Thriving Beyond Breast Cancer here.