M. D. Anderson Cancer Center Orlando and Women Playing For T.I.M.E. Celebrate Arrival of Central Florida's First Dragon Boat

Posted April 9, 2010, 10:45 am in Dragon Boat Racing

Three Central Florida organizations are celebrating an important maiden voyage and the beginning of a health and wellness program that will bring national attention to their efforts to defeat breast cancer.

Central Florida has its first official dragon boat. Dragon boat racing originated in China more than 2,500 years ago and is now one of the fastest-growing sports in North America. It’s especially popular among breast cancer survivors, which is why the local fundraising group Women Playing For T.I.M.E., in partnership with M. D. Anderson Cancer Center Orlando and the Orlando Rowing Club, are celebrating a new dragon boat program.

Watch this video to see the entire journey, from an idea to race a dragon boat to bringing Central Florida's first dragon boat to the Orlando Rowing Club:

The three groups had a dragon awakening ceremony at Lake Fairview before launching the boat. Women Playing For T.I.ME. received a pledge of $250,000 from local philanthropist Harriett Lake to purchase the boat and fund the development of the program. The boat is named in honor of Harriett’s daughter, Shelley, a breast cancer survivor.

The boat will be used by Warriors on Water (W.O.W), a team of local breast cancer survivors, to promote a healthy lifestyle and raise awareness in the fight against breast cancer.

Hear WPFT's Andrea Eliscu speak about what this means to the community, followed by Cheryl A. Collins, Vice President of the Arnold Palmer Medical Center Foundation/Orlando Health Foundation and Jim Field, President of the Orlando Rowing Club:

The Dragon Boat Program will be managed by the Orlando Rowing Club and the boat will be available for use to all interested club members.

Read more and get the official M. D. Anderson news release here!

To learn more about WPFT and dragon boat racing:

Taming the Dragon: You've heard of the battle against breast cancer -- but how about the paddle? One of the fastest-growing team sports is bringing survivors and supporters together: dragon boat racing. And at the International Dragon Boat Festival, Women Playing For T.I.M.E. and the Warriors on Water were a roaring success.

Warriors on Water: Picture it -- 20 women, all breast cancer survivors, in a single dragon boat paddling as one. It's a statement about the power of faith and friendship. It's one heck of good time. Come along as the Warriors on Water get their very own dragon boat

Rowing Down the Road to Recovery: Many of the top masters rowing teams in the Southeast were competing. So why was one boat filled with complete novices, rowing newbies, and breast cancer survivors? To prove a point about the importance of teamwork and the power of belief.