The River Sisters
Women's Cancer Survivor
Dragon Boat Team
"Fighting Cancer One Stroke at a Time"
We are the Sisters, so living and true
Surviving our cancer to live on and do
For other survivors.
We paddle our best
To honor the living and those who’ve found rest
Each day is a blessing, each breath that we take
Not taken for granted.
We live on and make
A team of Survivors, Supporters and Friends,
Our hearts beat as one as we turn Cooper’s bend
Our strength lies inside us you’ll find that it’s true
As we paddle in synch to the boat drummer’s cue.
We’re there for each other in case we should fall,
A team of strong women, River Sisters all.
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Denise~River Sister
We wear purple
It marks us. The purple.
Sometimes like a black eye.
It’s a badge.
Of Courage Strength, Distinction and Grace
We may not always feel strong;
But at those times,
Your Sisters will guard your back.
We are in sync.
In water and out.
We are strong.
In the boat and on land.
We are all resilient women.
Spring has brought us together again.
The essence of our souls is tied together.
We are divine, luminous, exceptional women.
Sisters by name, family by choice.
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Sue~River Sister
There is a group of women that cancer had all wrong,
They hang down at the river all smart and proud and strong.
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Each one fought a battle in a difficult situation,
And each one found The Sisters the perfect rehabilitation.
They laugh, they talk, they paddle together as a team,
And they really are just as amazing as they seem.
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They are very welcoming to newcomers to the fold,
Because they understand, each one having a story to be told.
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There is a group of women who stood up to the cancer test,
That now are "river rats" and as team mates are the best!!!!!!
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Jerry~River Sister
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WHAT IS HOPE
Hope is a word we often use and say and
I will try to define it in my own way.
Hope is a desire rooted in a belief.
It is what gives us a sense of relief.
Hope isn’t a wish. It’s so much more.
It’s the faith we feel down to our core.
Think how much this word is in our brains
And how many times we use these refrains.
I hope I am lucky.
I hope the news is good.
I hope my plans go smoothly, as they should.
I hope I have chosen the right thing to do.
I hope that today, my tribulations will be few.
A life without hope leads to despair.
It makes one give up and not really care.
When we are tested and things go wrong,
Hope gives us the courage and strength to be strong.
Hope is anticipatory, looking ahead not behind.
And with wanting a positive outcome it is closely entwined.
So, my definition of hope is the lifeblood
that pulsates through the veins;
The constant in your heart that always remains.
I believe “Hope does spring eternal” as they say
So I hope for good health and happiness for everyone here today.
Paddles Up
Jerry~River Sister
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Our Team Song*
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From the banks of the Cooper River
To the places that we race.
We will paddle strong & steady,
Following our strokers' pace.
We are survivors, we are paddlers
We are stronger than we seem.
And we race with HOPE and SPIRIT,
We're the River Sisters Dragon Boat Team!
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River Sisters!
* Sung to the tune of the Marine Corp Hymn
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