Cancer survivors’ paddleboarding pleasures paid for by Dry July

When cancer survivor Ian Mischefski went paddleboarding he was the only man in the group.

The paddleboarding, on Lake Ngangana, in New Plymouth, was a form of physio for people affected by cancer, he said.

“I’d recommend it to anybody, not just cancer survivors. It was great. It was fun.”

Mischefski’s cancer, which has gone, was on the back of his tongue, though doctors never “physically” found it, the retired engineer said.

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“They picked up something on my neck. It was a swollen gland. They did a biopsy, found nothing, but took it out and found it was a secondary.

“It was the worst day of my life.”

He then had a PET (positron emission tomography) scan in Bowen Hospital in Wellington and doctors picked up a hot spot on his tongue.

That was the beginning of the journey of chemotherapy and radiation until he was told the cancer was gone, he said.

“That was a hell of a good day.”

A couple of years later he was hit while on his bicycle and suffered serious injuries. It was while he was recovering that his physio suggested he try paddleboarding.

The paddle board classes, run by PINC & STEELE Paddle On, are paid for though Dry July, a month-long fundraising event that raises money for New Zealanders affected by cancer.

Dry July challenges people to go alcohol-free for the month and registrations are now open.

Mischefski found the paddelboarding classes challenging in all respects, he said.

“It helped my balance. Helped with injuries from my accident. Going from your knees to your feet is hard when your hip doesn’t work and is very sore.”

After he got up on to the board it was fine.

“I didn’t fall off, though it was bloody close. It was a good group. I was the only guy there all the rest were female.”

Karen Duckett, also from New Plymouth, agrees being with a group of like-minded people is part of the benefit.

“Everyone is on a different cancer journey. It could be historic, some are quite recent. It’s quite rewarding that you can be with these other people that are going through similar journeys. I really enjoyed it.”

Duckett was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia and is taking chemotherapy drugs.

She was involved in triathlons and other sports, so after being diagnosed she found it hard being so inactive.

Paddleboarding helped her mental health, and her strength and balance, she said.

“I haven’t been able to do any physical activities for the last few months, so it was pretty amazing. And to just be able to do something for myself was really cool.”