Pink Phoenix Dragon Boat Team

Pink Phoenix Dragon Boat Team Competes to Show Quality of Life After Breast Cancer

Pink Phoenix™ is the United States' first dragon boat team consisting solely of breast cancer survivors. Our mission is to enhance breast cancer awareness and to provide hope for survivors that there is quality life after breast cancer. Our purpose is to demonstrate that special quality of life; to promote wellness, fitness, fun and camaraderie through dragon boating; and to provide social, emotional and spiritual support for breast cancer survivors. With media recognition and public visibility, Pink Phoenix™ strives to provide hope to those newly diagnosed and to serve as a reminder to women to have mammograms regularly and to do self-exams. Early detection is the best fight against breast cancer.

Pink Phoenix Coordinates "Gorman Cup" at Rose Festival 2008

Every year in June, Portland, Oregon is alive with special activities as the city celebrates Rose Festival. Beside the parades and other competitions, a two-day dragon boat race is held on the Willamette River. This is a unique event in that the boats used for racing are the traditional Chinese style boats.

One special race that takes place during the event is the breast cancer survivor's race called The Gorman Cup. The race is named in memory of Pink Phoenix™ founding captain Michele Gorman, who died on April 10, 1998. The Gorman Cup attracts other breast cancer survivor teams to Portland, but is considered an exhibition race.

All breast cancer survivors are invited to join in the paddling, whether they are experienced paddlers or not. Physical ability IS NOT a criterion for joining the race.

Breast cancer survivors who would like to paddle in the race should contact Pink Phoenix™. This can be a great opportunity for survivors to feel the power of dragon boating for the first time!

Pink Phoenix Thanks 2007 - 2008 Sponsors 2007 was a special year for Pink Phoenix because the team competed in the Dragon's Abreast Regatta in Coloundra Australia. To get to this event, we relied on our many sponsors and friends. We would like to say "thank you" to our 2007 Platinum sponsor, Durham and Bates for their ongoing support in our endeavors and to Cooper Mountain Winery for providing a wonderful setting and support for our fundraising in August of 2006 and 2007.

Celebration of Life - Sunday May 4th Pink Phoenix members, will be meeting at the Riverplace Marina for their Celebration of Life on Sunday, May 4th. Families and friends of our Pink Phoenix team and family and friends of our Pink Angels are invited to join with us in the boats for the ceremony and then to the Riverplace Hotel for a reception. Wasabi team SOAR, our sister BCS team is invited to the ceremony to paddle with us and participate in the reception. To assure placement in a boat please RSVP to membership@pinkphoenix.org