Fitness. Camaraderie. Community. This is what propels the Paradise City Dragon Boat team of breast cancer survivors and supporters to paddle a 20-person boat down the Connecticut River.

An ancient sport started thousands of years ago in China, dragon boating was modernized in the 1970s and features fiberglass canoes with a dragon head and tail. Every individual on the team has an integral role to the operation of the dragon boat.

For the members of the Paradise City team, survivorship meets sportsmanship. Brought together by their experiences of fighting breast cancer, the dragon boat racing team is understanding and supportive of each other, while also providing the necessary muscle-building fitness in an exciting and rewarding sport.