Welcome!
We are breast cancer survivors from Indianapolis and surrounding areas who are starting a dragon boat racing team. This is the first team in Indiana. The team was founded by Lisa Heiden Peters, R.N. on May 31, 2007. Lisa, a breast cancer survivor, had the dream, spirit and passion to find a way to bring dragon boat racing to breast cancer survivors in Indiana. Today, INSO is the success it is due to Lisa's vision and commitment.
Dragon boat racing began more than 2,000 years ago in China and eventually made its way to North America in the 1980’s. It is now the fastest growing team sport in the world. The sleek, skinny boats with a dragon head are propelled by 20 paddlers working in unison. The drummer beats out the pace and a steer person guides the 48 foot-long-boat on its course.
Our Mission
To help provide breast cancer survivors a strong message of hope, inspiration and encouragement by creating a “floating support group”
Our Premier Sponsors
Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Cancer Center and Clarian Health saw the vision of Indy SurviveOars and have pledged to be Premier Sponsors for the next three years.
Where And When
INSO was in the 6th Annual FDJ International Dragon Boats for the Cure. Click here for the results!
Our boat has launched! Visit this page for all the articles and photos covering the launch.
The Indy SurviveOars will be paddling at Geist Reservoir in northeast Indianapolis starting in 2008. Our boat finally arrived, and you can see the video right here:
Watch for a dragon gliding down the lake!
How Can You Support Us?
Indy SurviveOars is accepting donations to support the team. We appreciate your help and no dollar amount is too small. All donations are accepted with our heartfelt thanks!
Please make your checks payable to Indy SurviveOars and send them to:
Indy SurviveOars
9664 Nautilus Circle
Indianapolis, IN 46256
Thank you!!!
Why Dragon Boat Racing?
Dr. Don McKenzie, a sports medicine physician at the University of British Columbia, launched Abreast in a Boat in 1996 to test the myth that repetitive upper body exercise in women treated for breast cancer encourages lymphedema.
He believed that following a special exercise and training program would not increase the risk, but would actually improve quality of life.
Dr. McKenzie's theory proved correct. Since 1996, hundreds of breast cancer survivors across the world have formed dragon boat teams, and are paddling and racing regularly, promoting good health and fun.
Our Name
When we began to think about what to name our team, Kathy Harrison said, "Since Indianapolis is the Racing Capital of the World, I want our name to reflect that." That is where the Indy part of our name came from.
Krysti Hughett came up with SurviveOars. We had a lot of discussion about our name because we all felt that it was a very important piece to our group. Some of the group members mentioned that we would use paddles and not oars. Krysti also pointed out to the group that there is a steering oar that it is at the back of the dragon boat and she sent all of us an e-mail and wrote this: Per Wikipedia:
"The steer person, known also as the coxswain, helm, steersman, sweep, or tiller, controls the dragon boat with a steering oar similar in function to a tiller which is mounted at the rear of the boat. The steer person may work with the drummer to call out commands during a race. The responses of the oar are opposite to the direction they take - if the steer person pulls the oar right, or into the boat, the boat will turn left, and if they push out, or left, the boat turns right. The steer person has the power to override the caller at any time during the race (or the coach during practice) if the safety of the crew is threatened in any way."
And in all reality, the paddles are oars as well, said Krysti.
Jeff Campbell, owner of USA Dragon Boating LLC, pointed this out to us: "The most important position in the boat is the steersperson and they use a steering OAR. It takes 22 people to win a race and there is only one person on the boat that can lose the race single-handedly. That person uses an OAR, not a paddle. Without the steering oar every team would be lost."
Thus.......Indy SurviveOars were born. Be sure to add the E on SurviveOars.
Our Team Song
You can read the lyrics to our team song, Mighty Dragon, by downloading this PDF document.
