Peoria’s Crew 309 promotes wellness and support for breast cancer survivors

PEORIA, Ill. – Cancer Recovery Empowering Women…that’s the mission of Peoria’s Crew 309.

The rowing crew has 75 members who train year-round on land and on the Illinois River.

Co-founder Lindsey Vlaminck tells WMBD’s “Greg and Dan” that most of the team are breast cancer survivors.

“The only caveat to that is that we also welcome previvors, which is somebody that has a genetic mutation. They have to have some sort of preventive treatment,” Vlaminck says.

Lindsey founded Crew 309 in 2017 with Kassie Williams, inspired by a similar rowing program in Chicago.

Several years later, Crew 309 became independent and a 501c3 non-profit organization with a focus on creating a support system for breast cancer survivors in Central Illinois.

Vlaminck says Crew 309 was created because exercise red