PATIENTS ARE THE HEART OF RESEARCH

PITTSBURGH, PA, Jan 30, 2023 (PittsburghNewsWire.com) — Breast cancer patients and survivors, their friends, family, and other allies are invited to join a pre- Valentine’s Day celebration dedicated to the essential role of biosample donors in advancing ground-breaking research.

 

Attendees will meet a UPMC research team working to develop a biobanking app that empowers patients with knowledge of how their biosamples are supporting research. They’ll hear why biobanking matters, what happens to donor samples today, and how you can use the app.

 

Attendees will be among the first to access the new and improved de-bi app (short for decentralized biobank), where they can open a biowallet to find and track their biosamples. They will see the launch of the first Patient Labs—where they can privately and anonymously connect with others who have similar conditions or research interests. Lab members will identify their team’s research priorities, preparing for the next step: partnering with researchers who can use biosamples and data to study questions that are most important and personally relevant to participating patients!

 

The event is being held at the Baja Bar and Grill in the Fox Chapel Yacht Club at 1366 Old Freeport Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15238. During the event, attendees can order beverages and menu items from the restaurant.

 

The Pink Steel breast cancer survivor dragon boat team is hosting the event and will be on hand to show attendees the exciting sport of dragon boat racing. They’ll offer a tour of their facilities as part of the Steel City Dragons. The team’s dragon boats are 46 feet long and have a carved dragon head and tail to resemble traditional Chinese boats from over 2000 years ago. The boat is propelled by a crew of 20 paddlers who follow the cadence of a drummer seated in the boat’s front. A steerer in the rear of the boat guides it by wielding a massive wooden steering oar.

 

The Steel City Dragons formed in 2002 when the Urban Redevelopment Authority brought the first dragon boats to Pittsburgh. The team has grown over the years and now has two boats and two teams, including a mixed team of adult men and women and the Pink Steel breast cancer survivor team. The Steel City Dragons teams compete in four to six out-of-town races every year and offer three practices a week on the Allegheny River. The organization is a 501(c)(3) charity operated entirely by volunteers for the benefit of its participants and the community.