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SPPS Represented at International Breast Cancer Dragon Boat Festival

SPPS Represented at International Breast Cancer Dragon Boat Festival

Elizabeth Simmer, SPPS teacher, retired teacher Kris Brunnell, former teachers Meredith Leary Johnson and Christine Houstman, will travel to Aix-les-Bains, France, this August for the 2026 International Breast Cancer Dragon Boat Festival. The festival is held every three to four years and is for breast cancer paddler teams who engage in Dragon Boat activities as post breast cancer diagnosis rehabilitation. Elizabeth, Kris, Meredith and Chrissy are members of the local Dragon Diva team here in the Twin Cities. This group is both a sports team and a support group.

Dragon Boat paddling has become a rehabilitation therapy for tens of thousands of women, and men worldwide, who have been diagnosed with breast cancer. The 2026 Festival will welcome 4,500 participants from the current 320 member teams, from 37 countries across all continents. This is the largest women's sporting event in the world.

SPPS teachers and former reachers row a boat to recognize their fight against breast cancer
SPPS teachers and former reachers pose for a photo to recognize their fight against breast cancer
SPPS teacher poses for a photo to recognize their fight against breast cancer
SPPS teacher poses for a photo to recognize their fight against breast cancer