SPL LIFE
Pinkies Up: The Pink Dragon Ladies PHOTOS/KATHLEEN CABBLE
Downtown Tampa glides by as the Pink Dragon Ladies practice on the Hillsborough River. Women from all walks of life make up the team. BY MARCIA BIGGS We glided under the bridge, lifted our paddles and the sleek pink boat slowed to a drift. Before us lay Seddon Channel and Tampa Bay. To the left, Harbor Island and the Tampa Convention Center. To the right, Bayshore Boulevard and below it, the memorial seawall hugging the water with five names painted large, like graffiti, in blocks of pink and purple. One of the paddlers spoke loudly so all could hear: “Normally, graffiti is against the law, but we got special permission starting back with Mayor Pam Iorio to paint the names of our sisters on the wall. We’ll be adding one more soon, we lost our Donna just recently . … This wall reminds us that we paddle not for us but for those who can no longer be with us.” We circled the boat around and headed back upriver, we were 19 women and one coach urging us on. We were black, white, Hispanic, young, old, married, single, rich and poor. We had nothing in
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StPeteLifeMag.com
September/October 2019
common, and we had everything in common. Our bond: we were all cancer survivors. The Pink Dragons Ladies are one of seven dragon boat paddling teams in Florida and many around the world comprised of fierce female cancer survivors. Formed in 2004, the team has close to 80 on the roster, says membership director Pamm Anderson, but a core group of 40 or so shows up at practice sessions and competes in races. Practice sessions are held three times a week from Rick’s on the River near downtown Tampa, which also serves as a convenient hangout afterwards for drinks, some food and talk. The camaraderie goes far beyond the river, the boat and the padding. The real mission of “The Pinks,” as they call themselves, is to serve as an inspiration and support to breast cancer survivors and to celebrate life.
