Those of you who know me are aware that I'm a breast cancer survivior. Me and 22 Breast Cancer survivors are raising money to attend the Worldwide Survivors Dragon Boat Race in New Zealand. Up until 1998, Breast Cancer survivors were prevented from doing any upper body exercise (even cutting up vegetables) because doctors erroneously believed it would cause painful Lymphodema. A female doctor who was recovering from breast cancer said," Is there any data to back this up?" Nope. After she piloted the study by forming a Dragon Boat team, doctors realized this form of exercise could actually prevent the re-occurrence of Breast Cancer. Now Survivor teams from all over the world come together every 4 years to spread the word about upper body exersize and longevity in Breast Cancer patients. The entrance fee is $7,000 per team, and $6,000 per team member. Our team has raised the entrance fee with garage sales and multiple fundraisers., but each member must raise their own $6,000. 10 years ago I was awakened in the middle of the night. I thought it was the dog or an amorous husband, but when I rubbed the spot on my chest that hurt, I felt the lump. A double mastectomy later, well yeah I miss my breasts. My husband Nick was even partial to the one on the right. So far I have beat the odds. With each race the LA Pink Dragons are reaching out to more women to encourage this type of activity, so they can beat the odds too. We're fast, we're committed, to the race and to each other. Coming together with perfectly timed strokes to cross the finish line..and live.