Date published: 14 July 2025
When Sonia Roberts was offered a cup of tea following a consultation, she knew it wasn’t going to be good news. Her world was turned upside down by breast cancer. “My first thought was, ‘How are my daughters going to cope?’”
Surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy followed. Days were dominated by appointments and pondering the future. Sonia had a loving family, including her daughters, now 26 and 21. But she was desperate to talk with someone who knew how she truly felt.
A nursing colleague shared a video by Pool of Life, a dedicated team of women who had survived breast cancer and launched a dragon boat team. Sonia saw how much they wanted to win, not just on the water but at life.
“I’d already decided after my surgery that I had a second chance and I should make the most of it, but these women have helped me make it happen. They welcomed me and gave me a place where we can talk openly about cancer but also about all the other things in our lives.”
What Sonia hadn’t bargained for was a newfound passion for dragon boat racing.” I could never have imagined me in a dragon boat but watching them having such fun made me think ‘I want some of this!”
Sonia jumped in feet first and went from strength to strength. She was recruited to the first national breast cancer survivors’ team and has since made dragon boat history, representing Great Britain in this year’s World Championships in Germany. This is the first year that breast cancer paddlers will compete in the championships.
“I needed a distraction. What I got was a lifelong passion and an amazing support network. I’m back in the driving seat, my lymphoedema has almost gone and I have something to aim for.”
She urges people to follow her lead. “I’d say take time for yourself and look at what you can do. It really is possible to take the negative and turn it into something positive”.
What is dragon boat racing?
Dragon boat racing originated in China and each boat traditionally has a dragon’s head and tail. A ceremonial drum and drummer sets the pace and helps paddlers synchronise strokes.
What is lymphoedema?
Lymphoedema is a long term condition that causes swelling in the body’s tissues, usually in the arms or legs.
Dr Don McKenzie of the University of British Columbia, a global leader in the science of cancer and exercise, discovered that upper body exercises, such as those used in paddling a dragon boat, help reduce the risk of developing lymphoedema.
Pool of Life supports people at all stages of breast cancer treatment and beyond.
