Dragon boating changing lives of Surviveoar members
News
Posted 3 months ago
The International Dragon Boat Festival will bring 73 teams of dragon boaters, and breast cancer survivors, to Little Lake on June 11 to 13. Here's a short look at who's coming and from where:
INDY SURVIVEOARS, INDIANAPOLIS, IND.
Indy SurviveOars launched in March 2008. The team has quickly grown to more than 50 members and has been competitive at several events, including capping off the 2009 season with a BCS win at the Fort Dodge Dragon boat festival.
The Indy SurviveOars have been active in the Indianapolis community making numerous appearances at local events to raise awareness for breast cancer and the benefits of dragon boating. The team cannot express enough how dragon boating has changed their lives both physically and mentally. Indy SurviveOars is truly a floating support group.
INTERNATIONAL PINK SISTERS, CANADA, NEW ZEALAND, U.S.
International Pink Sisters travels worldwide to raise breast cancer awareness, starting off in Singapore in 2006.
Then in May 2008 the team, composed of Americans and Canadians, went to Venice. They were the first North American Breast cancer dragon boat team to participate in the Vogalonga with the two Italian
BCS teams, alongside the 1,537 other participants paddling 22 kilometres down the Venice canals.
In September 2009 the team comprised of South Africans, Americans and Canadians went to Lac de Joux Switzerland. Patsy Allen, the organizer from Switzerland, says "we loved the Pink Carnation Ceremony and hope to make that a part of our festival each year."
These women truly spread their motto; together we have, hope courage, and strength. Together we Paddle!!! Showing other survivors spirit through their team songThat's What Friends are For.Pink Sisters arrived home with new friends and gold in the women's division. The Peterborough 2010 crew is from: New Zealand, U.S. and Canada.
www.members.shaw.ca/pinksisters
KNOT A BREAST, HAMILTON
Knot A Breast was founded in 1998, the ninth world's breast cancer team to be established. We have become a family of breast cancer paddlers, dedicated to supporting each other and reaching out to others to make them aware that there can be an active, fun-filled life after diagnosis. We paddle on the Hamilton Bay at the west end of
Lake Ontario and consist of 45 active paddlers and 30 associates. We were first to embrace two male paddlers.
Our motto is to never give up and to never give in. The difference between our coaches, fellow teammates and rottweilers is that eventually the rottweilers will let go. We paddle with one heart, one mind, one soul. To paddle is defined as "to move on or through water by using a paddle".
For Knot A Breast it is so much more!
LA VIE EN ROSE, QUEBEC
La Vie en Rose is made up of two teams from the cities of Sherbrooke (Les Phénix de La Rose des vents, 2003) and Quebec City (Vise-à-vie, 2003). Proud Francophone paddlers, we come to Peterborough to compete and surpass ourselves but also to share friendship and fun with women from around the world.
We take pride in the encouragement received from our teammates, survivors of various types of cancers, from our escorts and that of our long-time coach, Marie-Pier Blais. Among others, La Vie en Rose receives support from La Rose des vents de l'Estrie, an aid agency offering services for better living with cancer.
The time shared with proud and courageous women during this grand event is bound to leave lasting memories and will surely open our hearts to all the gifts life has to offer.
www.rosedesvents.com/LesPhénix
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