- August 5, 2026
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More than 25 members of Survivors In Sync, a dragon boating team made up of breast cancer survivors, are headed to the French Alps in August for the International Breast Cancer Paddlers’ Commission Dragon Boat Festival.
The event is held every three to four years. It also marked the start of the Nathan Benderson Park Conservancy building a robust dragon boating program.
When Nathan Benderson Park hosted the festival in 2014, Survivors in Sync was formed as the Sarasota team.
Angela Long, Benderson’s programs coach, said the momentum grew from there.
A community team was formed a couple years later. Some husbands of Survivors In Sync members joined. Then, the NBP Warriors team was formed for survivors of all types of cancer.
NBP Veterans, organized by retired U.S. Army first sergeant Rickard Jensen in 2021, is the most recent addition to the roster.
Jensen found such a sense of peace in paddling that he thought it could help other veterans, too. He noted that the suicide rate among veterans was 22 per day when he started the team.
In the early 1990s, survivors of breast cancer were typically advised to avoid strenuous activity to prevent lymphedema (fluid buildup) after treatment, but survivors began challenging that notion.
In 1996, a dragon boat team was formed as a test study because of the repetitive upper body activity paddling requires. Dragon boating also offers social engagement, exposure to the outdoors and poses a lower risk of injuries than weight-bearing exercises.
The study reported, “The impact of this experience on these women has been overwhelming, the physical changes barely keeping pace with the changes in psyche…No new cases of lymphedema arose, several women reported improved range of motion of their shoulders, and one woman reported resolution of a prolonged case of reflex sympathetic dystrophy (a chronic condition that causes pain and swelling).”
"It's a great opportunity for those who are looking for camaraderie and motivation," NBP Marketing Director Marnie Buchsbaum said. "You find a lot of different people just want to get outdoors, do something fun together and get active."
The opportunities are not limited to cancer survivors and veterans. Anyone 18 or older can join the NBP Dragons. Participants can opt to paddle recreationally or competitively.
All teams require a monthly membership fee, which includes three coached practices a week.
The fees start at $40 a month with a commitment of one year and 20 hours of volunteering throughout the year. The most expensive membership is $65 a month, which can be canceled at any time.
The conservancy provides all the necessary equipment.
“We subsidize when needed,” Long said. “But for the most part, everybody pays the same fee, so we do our best to keep the cost as low as possible.”
Buchsbaum noted that the program welcomes volunteers and sponsorships, especially as it's grown more organized and competitive.
The program started with a small group of “passionate paddlers” but now includes about 150 members, who are entering higher level competitions and traveling more.
Long would also like to expand the program by adding two more teams: A youth team and a para team for individuals with disabilities.
Jensen uses his pickup truck as a way to fundraise for the veterans team. Sponsors can place ads on the truck, which doubles as a parade float about five times a year.
In 2024, the truck won a $5,000, first place prize in the category of "Best Decorated Vehicle" at the UTC Holiday Parade.
