Anna Wellings-Booth is the founder, guiding light and advocate of Dragons Abreast ACT and has been inspirational to many and done so much for others in the community.  

Anna  founded Dragons Abreast ACT in 1999 and has since worked tirelessly to support those traveling the breast cancer journey as well as the dragon boating community. 

In 2009  Anna’s contributions were acknowledged by the Canberra Dragon Boat Association, through the inaugural perpetual ‘Anna Wellings-Booth Trophy’, an award to showcase the person who symbolises the very best of us and what we are.  She is also a life member of DAACT and CDBA.

Anna’s determination, tenacity and her ability to fight for a cause has enabled her to initiate and work on many organised activities and events to ensure that life is not only measurably better for women with breast cancer through dragon boating, but also our community has a greater awareness and knowledge about breast cancer.

Anna instigated the Dragons Abreast October Dragon Boat Challenge in 2002.  This annual event brings colour and drama to Lake Burley Griffin, and inspires many corporate and social paddlers to try dragon boating.  It also enables the Canberra community and ACT businesses to contribute their time, money to our worthy cause. In recognition of her efforts, Anna received the Dragon Spirit Award from DAACT in 2006.  Anna has continued to play a key role in subsequent successful Challenges. 

A member of the Organising Committee for the Abreast in Australia, Caloundra, September 2007 international regatta, Anna worked alongside Michelle Hanton, Jan Skorich and Elspeth Humphries to get this event up and running, bringing together 2000 breast cancer survivors from Australia and the rest of the world to participate in dragon boat races and most importantly, enjoy the camaraderie and raise awareness about breast cancer both in Australia and internationally.

Without Anna at Dragons Abreast ACT, we wouldn’t have our traditions, our boat, our DA ACT Bench, nor the annual Challenge Regatta.

Provides opportunities for people to enjoy dragon boating in a spirit of enthusiasm and involvement

Anna founded Dragons Abreast ACT in 1999 – the second Dragons Abreast group in Australia, after Dragons Abreast NT was started in 1998. Anna also contributed to the founding of the national organisation of Dragons Abreast Australia. 

Anna steered the fledgling ACT group through its early years and worked tirelessly to acquire a boat for the group. As Anna commented at Goanna’s launch in late November 2006, acquiring this boat was a much more difficult pregnancy and birth than she’d ever had having her own children many years earlier! 

As a result of Anna’s extraordinary efforts to acquire Goanna, we as breast cancer women in the ACT, can participate in this sport at a local, national and international level. We can bring a new dimension to the enjoyment of our lives after breast cancer, we can paddle on our beautiful Lake Burley Griffin with our wonderful supporter members, and we can aspire to live up to Anna’s shining example

In 2008, Anna got the ball rolling again, by getting approval for the Memorial Bench by the lake to be created. It was a real pleasure to work with Anna on this project. We now have a wonderful memorial to our Angels Abreast Sylvia Flaxman and Maggie Sh

Assists participants to reach their full potential

Anna’s warmth, personal courage, enthusiasm and good humour along with her intense interest and commitment to our group have been inspirational. Her wisdom as our charismatic Senior Dragon is acknowledged by all. 

A long time member still vividly remembers her words of encouragement that started them off paddling years ago! The wide smiles on the faces of our new paddlers and the camaraderie and enjoyment within our group, demonstrate how successful dragon boating has been for breast cancer women.

Anna’s organisational skills, her enthusiasm and good humour, her ability to network, are all factors that inspire others to work with her. Her lobbying of politicians, Federal and state/local has been legendary. No challenge here is too great, and one of the results is the very warm relationships we now enjoy with ACT pollies in particular, irrespective of their flavour. As a fringe benefit of Anna’s efforts, we Canberra Dragons Abreast members now know some of these pollies, through our dragon boating and our Regatta.

Anna stated in her acceptance letter to DAACT, “dreams are so very important and my wish for you is that you hang on to those dreams, for dreams only become reality for those who will not let them go or settle for anything less!  Dream on my friends!”

Provides opportunities for participants to express their skills at all levels of performance 

We all know Anna as a kind, welcoming, patient, quietly achieving paddling Goddess. She has made a really significant contribution to the quality of life of women diagnosed with breast cancer in the ACT as well as to dragon boating in the ACT through CDBA.  Anna has inspired and supported many to take on new roles and extend themselves not only personally, but also for the good of dragon boating in the ACT.

Timeline of Anna’s Achievements 

• 1998 Anna supported the founding of Dragons Abreast Australia
• 1999 Founded Dragons Abreast ACT
• 2005 Acquired a dragon boat for Dragons Abreast ACT
• 2002 Organised the first Dragons Abreast dragon-boat Challenge Regatta.  
• 2006-7 Key member of the organising committee of’ Abreast in Australia 2007’ an international dragon-boat regatta for 2000 breast cancer survivors from around the world held in Caloundra
• 2007 Wrote ‘A Dragons Tale’, a history of Dragons Abreast in Australia
• 2009 Key organiser for Dragons Abreast ACT 10th Anniversary and Memorial Bench
• 2009 Life Member of CDBA and DAACT 

When the heart weeps for what it has lost, the soul laughs for what it has found

A Sufi saying and motto of ‘Tickled Pink’, the ACT Dragons Abreast dragon boat team founded and inspired by Anna Wellings Booth.