Today we’d like to introduce you to Kim Bonomo.
Kim, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
Save Our Sisters [SOS] is an all breast cancer dragon boat racing team. Our mission is to help women and men recovering from breast cancer, to lead a full and purposeful life. First, we help ourselves by staying fit, physically and mentally. It’s a mind/body thing. Then we go into the community by way of festivals, fairs and parades, ensuring women and men have breast health awareness. We also help newly diagnosed women to navigate through the effects of journey of breast cancer.
We train 12 months a year, twice weekly at Miami Rowing Club on Virginia key. We participate in approx. 10 races per year. Sometimes internationally.
The team was established in 2007, we now have 50 women on our roster. We feel, the doctors have saved our lives, but it is dragon boating that saves our spirit.
Dragonboating is an ancient Chinese sport. The boats are over 40″ long and require 20 paddlers with a steersman to guide the boat and a drummer to keep the cadence. It’s all about working together to achieve the optimal effect. Kind of like life, we need to work together for harmony. Dragonboating is a team sport. It makes the individual think outside of themselves. It doesn’t matter how tall or short, how fat or skinny, how strong or weak you are. What matters is we do it together, in sync. It requires getting out of your comfort zone. Thinking as one unit.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
One of the obstacles is recruiting. The paddlers must have been diagnosed with breast cancer and have the ability to come to practice often. Sometimes it is hard to fill the 20 man boat. Recruiting is best through community outreach programs. Another obstacle we have is how to serve both the competitive and the recreational paddles. After the effects of the breast cancer treatment [surgeries and medication], we have many physical and mental limitations.
Dragon boating is a very difficult sport. Some women take to it better than others, and have a competitive nature. It is hard to keep both sides happy. And it is usually the noncompetitive women that need it the most. Another obstacle is witnessing the death of our teammates. In the 11 years we have been paddling we have buried about 10 of our teammates. It can be hard for the members to watch others suffer from the same disease that they too have. However, we remain dedicated to helping ourselves and others through the sport. We focus on the future not the past.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Save Our Sisters – what should we know?
The program is very complex. We don’t just paddle and race. We visit schools and other gatherings to talk about breast health awareness. We set funds aside each year to help develop new teams. When we first started there was only one other team in Florida, now there are 9. Most of which we help get started and continue to do things together.
We are known for our Big Pink Dragon Boat and our big hearts and tenacity. Helping where ever we can.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
We must constantly keep our eyes on recruiting new members and surrounding ourselves with people who believe and support our mission. Staying focused on the people’s needs while operating a business is hard, especially with the fact that the organization is run strictly by volunteers.
Contact Info:
- Address: Save Our Sisters
7200 SW 108th Terrace,
Miami, Florida 33156 - Website: www.teamsosmiami.org
- Phone: 305-776-5016
- Email: info@teamsosmiami.org / kkbonomo@aol.com
- Facebook: Save Our Sisters, Miami
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