Some times, just some times, Dreams do come True ..

2009 Prague World Dragon Boat Championships - Senior Mixed 500m Final

Some times, just some times, Dreams do come True - the Stars aligned for us that day.

We live on in Jenny's Afterglow - "our guiding light and inspiration."

I don’t like to lose in anything. Anything.

Lance Armstrong Rides Again Vanity Fair (9 Sep 2008) - I read this article last year on the day it was published online. The following quote helped me start to understand a lot things about Lance Armstrong, Jenny and Cancer. It finally motivated me to read It's not about the Bike, all be it 9 months later (May/June 2009) which Jenny had read just after it was published ..

'.. it is only fun if we win.' And for me, I think a lot of that stems from just the illness and the diagnosis and the process there. Because failure there is death. Loss there is death. And victory is living. Which people just assume they’re going to do. I mean, most people—cancer survivors—don’t always assume that. But I was scared. You know, from that point on, I associated loss with death. And so I didn’t. It was burned in my mind forever.

"I don’t like to lose in anything. Anything."

Mission Adrenal

Some fantastic footage of Rambo on his Pegasus off Mooloolaba (fantastic sound track on this one). You can download a 150MB HQ mp4 copy from here:

http://blip.tv/file/get/Rambooc1-MissionAdrenal383.mp4

Danny Ching au PA' A Solo '08

Danny Ching on OC1 as filmed by Outpaddin.

A must see for any budding OC1 paddler.

Va'a Paddling Tahiti

Love watching these guys paddle. They really are connected with the water as you can see from their rating lifts and changes. Learnt a lot just watching what they do. Hopefully will do this event one day.

Also, love the soundtrack - Ua fano te va'a by Trail Basis.

Afterglow - INXS - Letterman

Afterglow - INXS - Letterman
Andrew Farriss from INXS writes about Afterglow ..

"Lyrically I was looking for something that deals quite generically with the sense of loss. But not in a depressing sense. It could be about a family member, someone close, [..] it could be about loss of any kind. I really wanted to convey a recognition of coming to terms with that loss in a positive way and remembering someone with immense affection. Initially the loss makes you sad, but then you feel that glow of warmth and I think this is something everyone can relate to."

Afterglow Lyrics

Here I am,
Lost in the light of the moon,
That comes through my window.

Bathed in blue,
The walls of my memory divides,
The thorns from the roses.
It's you and the roses.

[CHORUS]
Touch me and I will follow,
In your afterglow.
Heal me from all this sorrow,
As I let you go.
I will find my way
When I see your eyes,
Now I'm living,
In your afterglow.

Here I am,
Lost in the ashes of time,
But who wants tomorrow,
In between,
Longing to hold you again,
I'm caught in your shadow.
I'm losing control.

My mind drifts away,
We only have today.

[CHORUS]
Touch me and I will follow,


In your afterglow.
Heal me from all this sorrow,
As I let you go.
I will find my way,
I will sacrifice,
'Til the blinding day,
When I see your eyes.

Now I'm living,
In your afterglow [in your afterglow].
When the veils are gone,
As I let you go,
As I let you go.

[CHORUS]
Touch me and I will follow,
In your afterglow.
Heal me from all this sorrow,
As I let you go.
I will find my way
I will sacrifice,
Now I'm living,
In your afterglow.

Bathed in blue,
The walls of my memory divides,
The thorns from the roses.
It's you who is closest.

[Thank You] Don't Wonder "What If?"

Vale Jenny Petterson - picasaweb - A Pocketful of Sequins - PD's Tribute

Joanne and I sent the following message to the Australian Dragon Boat Team on 18 Aug 2009, a few days before we left to participate for Australia at the IDBF World Dragon Boat Championships held in Prague in late Aug 2009. It is now history - an amazing experience for all of us, particular for Joanne and myself.

We just wanted to say thank you to everyone for helping us to celebrate Jenny's Life, and for your kind words and support for Joanne and I over the course of this campaign.

We also thank everyone for the lovely "Name-A-Star" gift that Amanda presented to us, on your behalf, at the 2nd Team Trial at Penrith. We have attached a copy of the documentation that came with the Sydney Observatory "Name-A-Star" catalogue. The star selected is in the constellation of Vela and has been named "In Memory of Jenny Petterson". As part of the gift, we will view the star at the Observatory on Jenny's and Joanne's Birthday, the 24th March 2010.

Jenny was an amazing person and she showed us all how to live life to full, even in the face of a life threatening illness such as advanced breast cancer, something she lived with for 12 years.

Paddling has become a constant in our lives and the irony is that we would not have found it, if Jenny did not have her cancer. Jenny would often say "what would we be doing if we did not start paddling?". We have travelled this state, country and the world as paddlers and wherever we have travelled we have met friendly likeminded people, no matter their culture or background. We feel we are better people because of our paddling experiences.

Jenny's life changed in 2004 when she nervously, yet humbly, co-featured in an episode of the ABC's "Australian Story" titled "In the Pink"

The episode was watched by more than 1 million people and helped expose Dragons Abreast Australia to many women. It told the true story of breast cancer and it did not shy away from the harsh realities of breast cancer. From then on wherever Jenny travelled, she would be "pulled up" by people in the street or at regatta's so they could talk to her about how the Aus Story Episode helped them to make positive changes to their life.

Following the airing of In the Pink episode, Jenny would often be asked to give a talk to various groups of people. She also became a speaker for the National Breast Cancer Foundation.

The last talk she gave was on the 1 April 2009 at the Riverview School in Lane Cove. The talk was given to approximately 200 Year 9 and 10 boys. They were mesmerised and inspired by her story of hope, courage and strength. She was also touched by the fact that the guest speaker they had a month earlier was Dr Chris O'Brien (of RPA Fame), a person she felt quite connected with. He made sense to her through his own public journey with cancer.

A copy of Jenny's Riverview Talk is now kindly hosted on the Dragons Abreast Australia Web site. It tells her (and indeed our story) in her own words with the last few pages giving an insight into her approach to life, and how she embraced her cancer and through it, felt empowered to live a wonderful and fulfilling life. The cancer helped to reveal her true inner spirit and character that she was born with.

Initially, unknowingly, and then later, humbly, she helped to inspire many people throughout Australia and the World to follow their hearts and achieve their dreams.

It was an amazing effort for Jenny to make the NSW State and Australian Teams this year. She was diagnosed with multiple tumors in her liver in early March and started a fortnightly cycle of chemotherapy and another drug. Through the encouragement of her "Support Team", she trained and paddled through all of her treatment and went on to paddle for her State and Club at the 2009 Nationals DB Championships at Kawana. It was with tears in my eyes that I witnessed Jenny, along with her team mates, paddle to Gold Medals in both 500m finals for her State and Club. The most amazing thing I have ever seen.

Finally, Jenny, Joanne and myself visited Prague in September 2005 after the World DB Championships held in Berlin. It is a beautiful City. Little did we know then that we would have the opportunity to compete for our country there in 2009. Jenny was selected in the Australian Team and was training up until early June. Joanne and I will now compete in Prague, with Jenny as our guiding light and inspiration.

Death may end a life, but our relationship will continue forever.

I have included a couple of photos from our trip to Prague in 2005 in our online photo album.



Don't wonder "What if?" - http://bit.ly/iKkog

With Thanks and Kindest Regards .. Geoff and Joanne

[ Jenny Petterson - Don't Wonder "What If?" ]