Pink Sari president Shantha Viswanathan enjoys the sense of wellbeing cycling gives her. Photo: Eileen Mulligan.
There were miles of smiles and a flurry of pink scarves when the Sydney Pink Sari women joined the Illawarra SWIFT tricycling group to peddle their message of joy, hope and survival.
The two groups of women created a colourful convoy recently as they rode adult-sized tricycles by Lake Illawarra at Warrawong. Experienced cyclists mentored those who had not ridden in a long time and those who had never ridden before.
“For me, it made me feel strong again, young again,” said Pink Sari president Shantha Viswanathan.
“And walking and riding along the lake was the most calming experience. It was beautiful. It was a fantastic experience for all of us, to ride the bikes again, like little children. But also to make new friends.”
The Pink Sari women travelled from Sydney at the invitation of SWIFT – the Social Women’s Intercultural Friendship Tricycling group. However, they swapped their signature saris for more appropriate sports wear.
“I think it’s a good physical activity, and I think it’s good for mental wellbeing as well,” Shantha said. “It works both ways. It’s good for my muscles and good for the heart.”
But behind the laughter, both groups of hard-working volunteers have a serious mission: to spread awareness among multicultural groups about cancer screening and surviving.
SWIFT founder Nyan Thit Tieu said there were many great health services available but the messages did not always get through to multicultural communities. What people responded to was the human connection.
“Research by the Cancer Institute is finding that multicultural communities are lagging behind in screening and they have very little understanding of survivorship and what they need to do after treatment,” Thit said.
“There is a lot of information on cancer in print form and online, but it’s not reaching the people who can’t speak English very well, or read and write well.
“So, a little group like us is helping them to get a better understanding. They need to hear messages from people they trust. When someone they know talks about it, they listen. So when we talk about cancer, and we say, ‘I had cancer, and I did this and that’, they listen.”
SWIFT is a branch of the Sisters Cancer Support Group Inc, which Thit also founded. Sisters has been operating for 11 years and is open to survivors, carers, family and friends. At the moment, the group is focusing on new lung cancer screening information, seniors’ rights and changes to the My Aged Care system.
SWIFT has been up and running for two-and-a-half years and encourages women to engage in enjoyable, gentle exercise in the fresh air. The group has a locked shipping container where bicycles and tricycles are kept.
Now the members are moving up a gear by holding special events to connect with others. Last year they hosted a day with Aboriginal people from the Coomaditchie community.
This year they invited the Pink Sari members from Sydney.
Pink Sari does similar work to SWIFT by helping families from South Asian backgrounds living throughout the Sydney area.
Before they set off, SWIFT chairperson Farhannah gave them a warm welcome and Bronwyn briefed them on safety. And the morning ended with sharing treats for morning tea.
“It’s important for service providers to work with the community, because we understand its nuances. Even within the South Asian community, there are some small but important differences and because we are from the community we are able to connect in a way that resonates with them,” Shantha said.
“We support people impacted by cancer by connecting them with health support services, and resources. What we offer is that extra layer of understanding, compassion, and empathy — the human touch that sometimes makes all the difference. At the heart of it, we’re simply good friends and that connection is what truly supports people when they need it most.
“It was an absolute pleasure to ride with the warm, friendly SWIFT ladies. Collaborations such as this are so meaningful as, not only do they foster friendships and provide us the opportunity to share and learn from each other, but also bring us together for a common purpose.”
Meanwhile, cricket fans should watch out for the Pink Saris in the crowd on 15 February next year when the Indian women’s cricket team takes on the Australians in the T20.
The Pink Sari members have booked a bay and they will be there in bright pink, waving their placards to promote their message.
