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Racers of Dragon Boat Charleston head to China by David Quick Of The Post and Courier June 14 marked a big day for Dragon Boat Charleston.   Seven members of the local dragon boat racing program, started by MUSC barely five years ago for cancer survivors, fly out for the sport's homeland of China to compete in two different events.   Five team members—Lucy Spears, Sylvia Huskey, Cathy Nixon-Heibel, Noreen Powers and Louise Graff—are headed to three villages in China to compete as part of a team from New Jersey.   Team members Lynda Rock and Joy Simmons will be part of the Washington, D.C.-based D.C. Dragons competing in Tainan, Taiwan.   For Dragon Boat Charleston coordinator Sterling Hannah, it's another sign that the program has blossomed.   “We've gone from this little program where we  could paddle for just a few minutes to a level where we fill out teams that travel. It's an amazing statement to the growth and achievement of the program to take it to this level,” said Hannah.   “Those teams didn't necessarily seek out cancer survivors to fill out their team. They sought athletes,” Hannah said (Nixon-Heibel and Simmons are not cancer survivors).    “The point of it is that this crazy group of cancer survivors who are in love with this sport of dragon boating have been able to take their dedication to a level where they are invited to participated with another team.”   Meanwhile, dragon boating in Charleston has reached another competitive accomplishment.   Both Nixon-Heibel and Janice Fetter have qualified to compete, representing the United States, in the Grand Masters (age 50 and up) in the International Dragon Boat Federations's World Dragon Boat Racing Championships in September in Sydney, Australia.   And if that's not enough, the inaugural Charleston Dragon Boat Festival was held May 3 at Brittlebank Park.   For information about dragon boat racing in Charleston, visit http://www.dragonboat.org or http://www.charlestonsurge.org. Editor’s note: The article ran June 14 in The Post and Courier and is reprinted with permission.     Friday, June 22, 2007 Catalyst Online is published weekly, updated as needed and improved from time to time by the MUSC Office of Public Relations for the faculty, employees and students of the Medical University of South Carolina. Catalyst Online editor, Kim Draughn, can be reached at 792-4107 or by email, catalyst@musc.edu. Editorial copy can be submitted to Catalyst Online and to The Catalyst in print by fax, 792-6723, or by email to catalyst@musc.edu. To place an ad in The Catalyst hardcopy, call Island Publications at 849-1778, ext. 201.