Hundreds of people flocked to Weston Park in Yarralumla on Saturday as the Dragons Abreast group held its annual Flowers on the Water ceremony.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The social group, which shares the common threads of breast cancer and dragon boating, carried out a moving scattering of petals on Lake Burley Griffin and a minute's silence to celebrate their nearest and dearest lost to breast cancer.
About 900 people watched on from the shore as part of the 14th annual Dragons Abreast regatta, the group's biggest fundraiser and a chance to raise awareness of the prevalence of the disease in the community.
It was a special day for Dragons Abreast founder Anna Wellings Booth OAM, who sat in a wheelchair by the lake, watching over the group she started nearly 17 years ago.
"Membership fluctuates, ages fluctuate, sizes fluctuate, but we are all there for the one reason, to promote awareness, and life after breast cancer which can be pretty damn good," she said.
"We don't do the [Flowers on the Water] ceremony at every regatta … because we don't want to trivialise it into just a spectacle.
"It's something very meaningful and we want it to promote awareness mainly, and life and hope."
Event co-ordinator Frances Heaney said women loved the group's social aspect, along with regular exercise.
"Everybody comes together and we have the same cause, we all support each other … In the group of women, everybody has been through a journey and you just think, man, life is good."