Tag: Fly

Purple Fly Fishing – Casting for Recovery

 

Recfishwest and Breast Cancer Care WA have again teamed up to deliver the 3rd Purple Fly Fishing Program. Each year in Australia over 13,500 women are diagnosed with breast cancer and one in eight women in Australia will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. Breast Cancer Care WA is a Western Australian charity that provides personalised emotional, practical and financial support to people affected by breast cancer.

 

The motion of fly casting has been proven to be beneficial for recovery for women who have undergone surgery or radiation treatment for breast cancer. The gentle casting motion helps to promote soft tissue stretching and improve joint mobility for women recovering from surgery and those managing lymphedema.

 

Breast Cancer Care WA support staff volunteer their time for the breast cancer clients for this program, and currently, the program is funded by a Recfishwest Community Grant. There are also plenty of community partners who donate goods and services to make the program as enjoyable as possible for the ladies.

The program offers participants a hands-on introduction to fly fishing and an opportunity to get outdoors while learning a unique form of fishing that can aid in their recovery.

For many of the ladies, it was their first time participating in any form of fishing!

Wellness and mindful activities accompanied the fishing, but a sunset fish on Saturday and a Sunday sunrise session definitely were some of the fishing highlight’s as the dams came to life with Rainbow Trout firing and providing the ladies with some fishing excitement!!

Recfishwest and Breast Cancer Care WA are both not for profit organisations and are always open for new partnerships to help continue and grow the Purple Fly Fishing Program statewide. If your brand or organisation would like to come on board and support this life changing program, please contact Tim at recfish@recfishwest.org.au

Recfishwest would like to thank all of the community partners who got on board and threw their support behind the 2017 Purple Fly Fishing Program, including:

• Clover Cottage
• Shimano Australia
• Thomsons Bus Lines
• Holy Smoke, Smoke House
• Browns Dairy
• Farmhouse Pizza – Manjimup
• Innovations Catering
• Spud Shed Jandakot
• Sukin Skincare
• Pronto Fine Foods
• Quinni Tavern Holiday House
• Fairview Farmhouse
• Tall Timbers Manjimup
• Southern Forests Honey
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Fact file:

• Each year in Australia over 13,500 women are diagnosed with breast cancer and one in eight women in Australia will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime.
• The motion of fly casting has been proven to be beneficial for recovery for women who have undergone surgery or radiation treatment for breast cancer.
• The gentle casting motion helps to promote soft tissue stretching and improve joint mobility for women recovering from surgery and those managing lymphedema.
• The program offers participants a hands-on introduction to fly fishing and an opportunity to get outdoors while learning a unique form of fishing that can aid in their recovery.

Purple Fly Fishing

This year Recfishwest and Breast Cancer Care WA ran a specialised ‘Purple Fly Fishing’ weekend for clients recovering from breast cancer.  The weekend was held in Manjimup on October 16, 17 and 18 with 19 breast cancer clients, accompanied by support staff from Breast Cancer Care WA, descending on the beautiful surrounds of the South West to partake in a spot of fly fishing.

Funded through a Recfishwest Community Grant, the Purple Fly Fishing weekend aims to offer these women the opportunity to gain a reprieve from the challenges of breast cancer, while also teaching them the art of fly fishing.

Recfishwest CEO Dr Andrew Rowland said the weekend offers participants a hands-on introduction to fly fishing and an opportunity to get outdoors while learning a unique form of fishing that can aid in their recovery.

“This weekend provides the opportunity for women affected by breast cancer to develop friendships and support networks with other participants and hopefully catch a few fish as they learn the basics of fly fishing” Dr Rowland said.

Breast Cancer Care WA Chief Executive Officer Zoe McAlpine said Breast Cancer Care WA are so grateful to Recfishwest for this opportunity to provide a wonderful experience for our clients going through breast cancer.

“The chance to get away for the weekend, learn a new skill in fly fishing and to focus purely on themselves and their journey is so valuable” Mrs McAlpine said.

“This year in Western Australia it is expected that over 1,500 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer and we aim to be there to support every person diagnosed – thanks to the generosity of Recfishwest and the community this is made possible.”

Studies have shown that the casting motion of fly fishing, is similar to recovery exercises prescribed for women who’ve undergone surgery or radiation treatment.  In addition to the physical benefits for participants, the gentle casting motion helps to promote soft tissue stretching and improve joint mobility for women recovering from surgery and those managing lymphedema.

Recfishwest has conducted similar fishing clinics in the past (Pink Fly Fishing Clinics) for women affected by breast cancer which has been hugely popular.
Additional Information:

Why purple and fly fishing? Each year in Australia over 13,500 women are diagnosed with breast cancer and one in eight women in Australia will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime.

Breast Cancer CareWA is a Western Australian charity that provides personalised emotional, practical and financial support to people affected by breast cancer. Breast Cancer Care WA receive no government funding and their activities are entirely reliant on the generosity of the Western Australian community. They are famous for the charity event Purple Bra Day, raising funds and awareness for breast cancer clients.

For more on Breast Cancer Care WA: http://www.breastcancer.org.au/