Fear is the enemy of hope. I had just started my treatments for stage 4 neck and throat cancer. My friend from work named Sandy Tise happened to be a cancer survivor. She handed me a photo book and said, “These are photos of our dragon boat team called the Wellness Warriors”. As I looked through the book I saw photos of people smiling and having fun on the Charles River. She continued, “We are a group of people who are going through different stages of cancer treatment. We have been where you are now and you need to join us and get in a dragon boat”. The hope she exuded was infectious and I wanted to be a “Wellness Warrior”. The team was so welcoming and friendly and I knew that I had found a special group of people that lived with cancer, but did not let it define them. I have been cancer free for over 5-years. Life is not a spectator sport. Get in a boat and give hope a chance and become a Wellness Warrior!