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By Torsten Kjellstrand, The Oregonian
After too many months of paddling in the cold and rain, members of Pink Phoenix enjoy a warmer workout on the Willamette River last Wednesday in Portland. On this night, Deb Amar (right) and Susan Dean (left) pull hard with their teammates while tiller Jan Walker (background) keeps the boat headed in the right direction. Formed in Portland in 1996, Pink Phoenix was the first U.S. dragon boat team made entirely of women breast cancer survivors. Some members are decades from the initial diagnosis, while others are still in the middle of treatment. The team is preparing for their first event of the year, the Portland Rose Festival Dragon Boat Race on June 11th and 12th. The 2011 Rose Festival will kick off with the Fireworks Spectacular at Tom McCall Waterfront Park on May 27th, including a free concert by the Curtis Salgado band.