Elaine Breen bounces back from personal tragedy in Strut
Remarkable Elaine Breen admits that dancing is her great escape after the death of her father, and she is one of the Northern Soul dancers who will be performing in Greenock and Port Glasgow on October 17 and 18.
Having also survived a battle with blood cancer, 52-year-old Elaine feels that she has been put through life’s rollercoaster but she says it all with a smile and a laugh.
And she will let her positivity shine through on the dancefloor in the upcoming unique show which takes to the streets of Inverclyde later this week.
The free Strut event is a night-time performance and projection parade which shines the light on six talented dancers with a connection to the area.
It will feature an upbeat mix of funk, pop, Northern Soul, majorette and lyrical dance styles.
Elaine has spent much time in the area since 2000, when her parents bought a caravan in Wemyss Bay.
Unfortunately, just after buying it, her dad passed away suddenly at the age of 55.
Elaine, her mum and daughter, Caitlyn, enjoyed escaping on holiday to this part of the world where they could grieve privately.
Elaine said: “The residents all around us were so friendly and would check if we needed anything.
“This ended up being our happy place where we went every weekend. We have built lifelong friendships and we are so grateful.”
Elaine, who lives in Motherwell, started Northern Soul dancing about five years ago, having always loved Tamla Motown music.
After a life-changing road accident and learning to walk and talk again, she says her dancing relieves her chronic pain and has found support in the local Northern Soul community.
Elaine admits that her nickname ‘The Bionic Woman’ coined for her by her husband, Gerry, is apt, given that she has an aptitude for bouncing back through everything that life has thrown at her.
She said: “My dad was Thomas Garden. We had been at Wemyss Bay for a couple of years enjoying caravan holidays, and dad was an aerial platform operator, and he had a sudden heart attack at work, just after he had bought the caravan, so it was a real shock.
“People would come with soup and would make themselves available to chat or to help in any way they could and we as a family are so grateful, and thankful for our time at Wemyss Bay Caravan Park.
“People were so considerate, and Wemyss Bay had a very calming influence.”
Incredibly in 2003, Elaine was involved in a horror road smash with a 29-tonne lorry at a sliproad onto the M74 and suffered life-changing injuries, including a broken back and brain injuries.
However, after a lot of help and assistance from the NHS at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, she learned to walk and talk again, and managed to leave hospital six months later.
A battle with blood cancer in 2008 was her next challenge for the retired Scottish Gas manager, as she was only given a few weeks to live but managed to fight through it. She also got assistance from her mother, who was a mental health nurse, in making a recovery from her car crash nightmare.
And a love of Northern Soul music has now provided a special release for Elaine, who says that the pain subsides when she dances.
“It’s therapeutic, and brings endorphins which are chemicals in the brain that can improve your mood, reduce stress, and relieve pain, and gives me a new lease of life,” she said.
The Struts show takes place on Thursday, October 17: 7pm to 8pm, Auchmountain Greenock; start point: Outside Auchmountain Community Resource Centre; route: Burnhead St to Corlic St; end point: Corlic St roundabout.
And the show moves to Port Glasgow on Friday, October 18: 7pm to 8pm, Port Glasgow Town Centre; start point: Outside New Parish Church; route: Church St, King St, John WooD St, Bay St, Fore St; end point: Outside Port Glasgow Library.