Daily Lessons from Life 21 June 2009

"Sun, Jun 21, 2009 The Straits Times - Exercise a priority with Pink brigade

On water, they row. On land, they run - for their lives, one might say. The six women, all breast cancer survivors and members of the Paddlers In The Pink, a dragonboat team from the Breast Cancer Foundation, run to keep healthy and, hopefully, to keep cancer at bay.


One of them, human resource executive Irene Chui, 43, said: 'The only way to keep cancer recurrence at bay is to lead a healthy lifestyle, build up immunity, eat healthy and be happy.'
While running is an avenue to fitness, friendship is the big plus.

Ms Anusuya Chia, 55, a project director, said: 'After my battle with cancer, I started exercising.
'Irene's been my inspiration. She encourages me and tells me that I can do whatever I set my mind to.'


Ms Chui, in turn, found support and a buddy in Ms Irene Ning, 49, a secretary and part-time aerobics instructor.

She said: 'I never liked to run because of my bad knees.' However, the two women would keep pace with each other. 'Towards the end of the last kilometre, we'll hold hands and run together,' she said."

I salute these ladies. Recently they lost one of their comrades. It is tough facing a life threatening ailment.

Lessons for me are:

1. I am not a cancer patient but I can sincerely said that it is easy to empathize with the patients as it is never easy to face a life threatening ailment on your own. The team spiritedness and the camaraderie definitely help;

2. also doing something that does not come naturally to us initially required a lot of discipline and with someone goading or encouraging or dragging and pushing us along helped! This is evidence as most of these ladies DO NOT exercise that much before the disease struck! Just like what I 1st started seriously trying to lose weight in January 2008 and prepare for the Dec 2008 Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon at age 51! It required discipline to eat healthy and exercise regularly at the beginning until the habit is formed!;

3. it will be a roller coaster ride for many. For some, a long ride too! There will be times when we are ahead of the change and times when we are behind! If we do it alone, it is very hard and required lots of self-motivation and self-discipline. If we have loved ones and people who care for us and wanted us to be successful, they will drag, push, encourage, and reinforce our commitment to continue until we reach success!

Continue to journey to full recovery ladies. All the best and enjoy the friendship and the fun of exercise and the benefit of a healthy lifestyle.