By Ashley Lerch
Each year over 1.3 million people are newly diagnosed with cancer, according to the American Cancer Society. The rowing community is full of people who have battled cancer, and our rowing friends are also among the millions of people who also die from the disease.
Interested in rowing since college, it was a fight with breast cancer that finally guided Colleen Carey into the boat. After recovering from the treatments to battle her cancer, she found rowing was the perfect exercise to help her body and mind to recover from the drain that the cancer had put on her body.
“It’s fairly impossible for me to separate my cancer recovery from rowing.” Carey said. “Cancer is very good at teaching you to accept things that are out of your control. You have to accept that your body will never be the same, which was a hard lesson for me to learn at age 27.”
According to the National Cancer Institute, “Physical activity improves quality of life among cancer patients and survivors. Studies are beginning to explore the potential for physical activity to improve cancer survival.”
Colleen enrolled in a learn-to-row program at the Albany Rowing Center, in Albany, New York on her 29th birthday. She found rowing to be a wonderful exercise on her weakened body, but provided her with the full body workout she needed to gradually regain her strength.
“Rowing was crucial in giving me my body back. I eventually had new proof, proof that my body was strong and flexible and capable of doing something pretty special.” She said.
A year later, Colleen has enrolled in the adult competitive rowing program at Albany Rowing. She intends on participating in many regattas in the 2006 rowing season, especially the 2006 FISA World Rowing Masters Regatta, in Princeton, NJ.
Colleen is one of the many rowers who attribute rowing to helping them overcome illnesses. The rowing community is full of amazing people who have greatly benefited from the health advantages that rowing exercise provides.
Aside from rowing, Colleen is an active volunteer for the Susan G. Komen Foundation. Last year she participated in the Boston Breast Cancer 3-Day Walk, and she is fundraising once again this year for the San Diego 3-Day Walk. For more information on Colleen, her battle with cancer, and her 3-Day Walk fundraising efforts, please visit her site at http://www.colleencarey.com/3day/boston/.
Also she has designed rowing themed merchandise to aid her fundraising efforts, and you may purchase these items at http://www.cafepress.com/crewclothing.
Xeno Muller, Olympic gold and silver medalist, indoor rowing, rowing technique.
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