The dragon boat, which is sponsored by the Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Cancer Center and Clarian Health, will glide up and down the downtown canal as part of opening festivities of the cancer center’s new $150 million patient care building. Public tours of the new in-patient and out-patient facility will be from 1 to 5 p.m. Friday, July 25, and Saturday, July 26.
The women of Indy SurviveOars – a group of breast cancer survivors – will launch the dragon boat near the 10th Street Bridge at 11:30 a.m. Friday, July 25, and make their way to the Ohio Street Basin near the Indiana Government Complex. A brief program will take place outdoors at noon near the Ohio Street Basin.
Following the program, the Indy SurviveOars will make other trips from the Ohio Street basin to the U.S.S. Indianapolis Memorial along the canal and back to the basin with other guest paddlers. All are invited to the festivities on the canal.
Immediately following the dragon boat event, the public open houses of the new building, located at 1030 W. Michigan St., begin.
Parking is available in the Vermont Street Garage, 1004 W. Vermont St., located across Michigan Street from the new building. Valet parking also is available from the building’s main drive.
Outside of the new building, take a moment to pause and reflect on the thousands of ribbon signs along Michigan Street, Barnhill Drive and University Boulevard that were reserved in honor or remembrance of people whose lives were touched by cancer for the Faces of Cancer campaign.
During the open houses, guests will have opportunities to enter a drawing for free Indianapolis Indians tickets for the Saturday, July 26, baseball game. IU Simon Cancer Center Night at Victory Field will begin at 7 p.m. Saturday, July 26, as the Indianapolis Indians take on the Syracuse Chiefs. Cancer survivor and West Lafayette soccer coach and math teacher Mike Etzkorn will throw out the first pitch.
The new patient building is a partnership between the IU School of Medicine and Clarian Health.