萝莉社

Overcoming breast cancer is one of life鈥檚 greatest challenges. Yet for 萝莉社 Jacksonville employee Pam Reckner, it was just the beginning.

After connecting several years ago with fellow survivors through the sport of dragon racing, Reckner now has another impressive achievement to celebrate 鈥� winning two silver medals and three bronze in their division at the 17^th World Dragon Boat Racing Championships held July 2025 in Brandenburg, Germany.

It was the first time in the history of the international race that a breast cancer paddler division was included, and after a week of grueling races, Reckner and the USA National Team medaled in every event and were rewarded with five trips to the podium.

鈥淣ew Zealand and Canada prevented us from winning gold by milliseconds, but we were the only three countries of about a dozen competing who won medals, so we were pretty proud of that,鈥� said Reckner, a contract manager for patient care areas and radiology. 鈥淭hat was one of my most favorite things there, getting to march up to the podium with our flag and then having the medal placed over your head by the officials. It was fantastic.鈥�

That walk to the podium took Reckner years to achieve. She completed her cancer treatments in May 2021, a time she describes as the 鈥渞ock bottom鈥� of her fitness level. While shopping for arm sleeves to reduce swelling caused by radiation treatments, she also found information about the Jacksonville Drag Boat Racing Club, described as a 鈥渇loating support group鈥� for survivors.

Dragon racing, with origins in ancient China, is now popular worldwide. The sport uses canoe-shaped boats decorated with carved dragon heads and tails. Teams of 10 or 20 paddlers follow the beat of a drummer and rely on a steerer in the back for maneuvering.

With a love of boats, water and the outdoors, Reckner found herself 鈥渂it by the dragon.鈥� She continued to paddle herself to fitness and competed in local races. Then came the news that the International Breast Cancer Paddlers Commission was able to add a breast cancer division to the world championships for the first time. Reckner didn鈥檛 hesitate. She traveled to compete in a weeklong tryout against more than 100 women, earning one of the top two fastest qualifying times. She returned home as one of 36 members of Team USA.

鈥淎nd that was another reason I wanted to try so hard to do this because in some way it makes me feel that my name will go down in history as one of the first women to make Team USA in the Breast Cancer Paddlers division,鈥� Reckner said. 鈥淚t was just such an important thing for me to make it.鈥�

Though the time commitment was intense with several trips to Sarasota for practices and home workouts to complete, Reckner said being part of Team USA was an honor and the experience helped her reach a top-notch fitness level and share camaraderie with other cancer survivors from around the globe.

鈥淚鈥檓 just so proud of myself and everyone else who did this,鈥� she said. 鈥淓specially being a breast cancer survivor and everything that we had to overcome. I鈥檓 just really proud of what we were able to accomplish, and happy my body cooperated with me.

The chance to compete on the international stage comes once every two years. When asked, Reckner said she doesn鈥檛 know if she will try out again. Then she paused. 鈥淚 think probably when the time comes, I鈥檓 going to feel like, 鈥楧on鈥檛 pass it up. See if you can do it.鈥欌��