Portland, Ore.

Portland Taiko, Tears of Joy puppets lead festive celebration

Celebration and entertainment will mark the 7th annual Cancer Survivors Day event in Portland on Sunday, June 2, from 2 - 4:30 p.m. at the World Forestry Center near the Oregon Zoo.

Cancer survivors, family and friends will celebrate life and their experiences to music, food and a host of activities for adults and children. Headlining the event is Portland Taiko, an Asian-American drum and performance group versed in the Japanese art of taiko drumming. Also taking stage is the Tears of Joy Puppet Theater, which interprets well known folklore and modern tales of redemption through the art of puppetry.

Portland health reporter and TV personality Kris Eisenhauer ("Nurse Kris") will emcee the event and welcome the crowd.

Also featured at the Survivors Day event is "Notes from the Journey: Art and Writing to Support Those Dealing with A Cancer Diagnosis," an art project which displays postcards created by cancer patients that express their emotions about dealing with their disease. Activities include dog-cart rides and face painting for the kids, button making, mini massages and memory photos for survivors and friends. The event is free and open to the public. Call 503 813-2000 for more information.

The event is co-sponsored by Kaiser Permanente, Legacy Health System, Providence Health System and Oregon Health & Science University. Portland Taiko is performing thanks to a grant from The Collins Foundation and The PGE Foundation through the group's community performance outreach project.

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