Hope Afloat USA makes history on the water!

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania -- Hope Afloat USA is a Dragon Boat team based in Philadelphia. The women who practice and compete and paddle together all have one thing in common. They are all breast cancer survivors.

Phyllis Silverstein explains, "It's sisterhood. It's survivorship. It's brought me to be with people that have been on the same journey that I've been on. "

They practice three times a week on the water and each time they get together they build a sense of camaraderie and give a sense of belonging to many who have faced a difficult road to recovery from their breast cancer diagnosis.

Phyllis says of her treatment and recovery, "There were definitely times I thought I wanted to give up. And so, getting in the dragon boat, I thought the same thing! The first practice, somebody handed me a paddle and I'm like I can't do this. And then I finished and I came back for another one."

They're building teamwork and getting back to a normal life after facing so many challenges. And they're winning too.

In 2025, 5 members of the team competed in Germany on the world stage on the first ever Breast Cancer Paddler team! They took home a total of three silver and three bronze medals and showed their moxie on the world stage and proved how their determination and spirit can make a big difference.

Nancy Glasgow is a paddler on Hope Afloat USA and says showing up and competing on this team is about Zen and connection.

"It's very challenging. But that's what you try and strive for. That's what keeps you going. And that's the wonderful thing about this sport. I mean, there's no age limit on this sport. We have people in their eighties doing this and it's a fabulous, fabulous thing."

For more information on Hope Afloat USA, check them out at https://www.hopeafloatusa.org.