By SHAWN CONNER, 24 HOURS
The best teams are more than the sum of its parts. But for one Dragon Boat team, this is truer than for most.
Several members of the Gift of Life Transplant Team, competing at this weekend’s Dragon Boat Festival, are organ recipients – hearts, lungs, kidneys, pancreas and livers, among them. Team member Britta Watts survived a double-lung transplant six years ago and has competed in the annual race on five occasions.
“You’re in ICU for so long, on so many machines, and you can’t see anything in the future,” said the former competitive swimmer. “And then all of a sudden, you’re paddling in a race with people who know what you’ve been through. It’s an amazing feeling.”
Watts said she and her teammates, including two mothers of organ donors, paddle to win. They also look to bring awareness to organ donation, “so people know that signing up to be a donor really works. We need people to sign up.”
In the past, the team has won both gold and silver medals. “We’ve done really well,” Watts said, “not just for transplants, but for teams in general.”
The 23rd Dragon Boat Festival
When: June 11-12
Time: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Opening ceremony: June 10, 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Where: False Creek
Cost: Free
Entertainment: world music, dance and jazz performances
Website: http://dragonboatbc.ca
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