Survivors, dragon boaters, rowers and canoeists help raise $33,050 in the fight against breast cancer

PORTLAND – Twenty members of the United States’ first dragon boat team consisting solely of breast cancer survivors competed at the 15th annual Row for the Cure® regatta Sunday morning on the Willamette River. The regatta occurs alongside Portland’s Race for the Cure®.

The Pink Phoenix dragon boaters were among some 400 rowers, canoeists and dragon boaters from Portland, Ashland, Corvallis, Lake Oswego along with Klamath Falls, and Vancouver Lake that helped raise $33,050 for the Oregon and SW Washington Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure®.

Pink Phoenix, dressed in matching pink vests, took home the silver in the dragon boat competition, while Portland’s Amazon Dragons won gold and Portland’s Team Wicked Paddling Club took home the bronze at Portland’s Row for the Cure®.

“It is amazing and empowering to race with all these cancer survivors in various stages of recovery” said Pink Phoenix dragon boater, Dyanne McDonnell. “I was diagnosed with breast cancer on my 60th birthday, and today I am 65 celebrating five years cancer free. I am so inspired by the fact that we all have the strength to do a two kilometer race,” said McDonnell of Portland.

Among the regatta participants were cancer survivors and Station L rowers Grace DeVos and Lori Martin of Portland who rowed in a regatta for the first time on Sunday. “I am a breast cancer survivor and have lost a lot of friends to breast cancer, but every year we get closer to a cure because events like this increase awareness,” said DeVos, 54, who is also a tiller for the Pink Phoenix dragon boaters. “I learned how to row last August and became addicted,” added Martin, 49, just before her first rowing race on the Willamette River. “As a survivor, it feels good to be able compete physically and it is inspiring to look around and see all of the support for this important cause,” said Martin.

Portland Olympian and Lake Oswego Community Rowing coach Lisa Schlenker brought 73 rowers to the regatta. “My mother was diagnosed with cancer and has gone through treatment and is doing fantastic, so I am happy to be a part of this event. Last year I raced in the regatta and this year I am coaching but whether I am coaching or rowing, I love seeing the Portland community out supporting the cause in both the Race for the Cure® and the Row for the Cure®,” said Schlenker.

For the fourth consecutive year, the City of Portland’s fireboat provided a pink-water display for finishers of both the Row for the Cure® and the Race for the Cure®

About Row for the Cure®
Row for the Cure® (www.RowForTheCure.com) regattas are third-party events benefiting local affiliates of Susan G. Komen for the Cure®. Since the regatta’s inception in 1994 on Portland’s Willamette River, Row for the Cure® has expanded to over 19 cities, raising over $800,000 in the fight to eradicate breast cancer as a life threatening disease. Seattle Row for the Cure is made possible by USRowing, Google, Starbucks, H.D. Fowler Company, Seattle Breast Center at Northwest Hospital, Lane Powell Attorneys and Counselors, Pocock Racing Shells, Ryan, Swanson & Cleveland, Sweeney Conrad P.S., Skellenger Bender P.S., Columbia Bank, Foss Maritime Company, Shoreline Bank, SHKS Architects and US Bank.

About Susan G. Komen for the Cure
Susan G. Komen for the Cure was founded on a promise made between two sisters – Susan Goodman Komen and Nancy Goodman Brinker. Suzy was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1978, a time when little was known about the disease and it was rarely discussed in public. Before she died at the age of 36, Suzy asked her sister to do everything possible to bring an end to breast cancer. Nancy kept her promise by establishing the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation in 1982 in Suzy’s memory. The organization recently changed its name to Susan G. Komen for the Cure in honor of its 25th anniversary and with this, a renewed promise to find the cures for breast cancer.

Row for the Cure Top Fundraisers
Most Donations by an Individual: Doni Roelse, Ashland Rowing Club (Ashland) $1080
Most Donations by Rowing Club: Ashland Rowing Club (Ashland) 6,660

Row for the Cure Winners
Women’s Dragon Boat Amazon Dragons Paddling Club (Portland)
Women’s K1 J. Copeland, Unaffiliated
Women’s Junior Eight Lake Oswego Community Rowing (Lake Oswego)
Women’s Masters Eight ` Corvallis Rowing Club (Corvallis)
Women’s Open Novice Eight Station L Rowing Club (Portland)
Women’s Junior Four with Coxswain Lake Oswego Community Rowing (Lake Oswego)
Women’s Masters Four with Coxswain Portland Women’s Rowing (Portland)
Women’s Junior Double Skulls Lake Oswego Community Rowing (Lake Oswego)
Women’s Masters Double Sculls Unaffiliated
Women’s Open Single Sculls C. Humblet, Station L Rowing Club (Portland)
Women’s Masters Single Sculls M. McCormick, Portland Boat Club (Portland)

Men’s Junior Eight Lake Oswego Community Rowing (Lake Oswego)
Men’s Masters Eight Willamette Rowing Club (Portland)
Men’s Junior Four with Coxswain Lake Oswego Community Rowing (Lake Oswego)
Men’s Masters Four with Coxswain Willamette Rowing Club (Portland)
Men’s Open Four with Coxswain Portland State University (Portland)
Men’s Masters Quadruple Sculls Portland Rowing Club (Portland)
Men’s Masters Double Sculls Ashland Rowing Club (Ashland)
Men’s Masters Single Sculls D. Pence, Unaffiliated
Men’s Rec. Single Sculls D. Rower, Lake Oswego Community Rowing
Men’s Adaptive Single Sculls B. Carr, North West Adaptive Rowing

Mixed Dragon Boat Sync or Swim (Portland)
Mixed Canoe 2x Lower Columbia Crew Club
Mixed Masters Eight Willamette Rowing Club (Portland)
Mixed Masters Quad Portland Rowing Club (Portland)


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