Meet The Executive Committee
Members of Boston Wellness Warriors, Northampton Paradise City Dragons, and Springfield Dragon Rays came together to form an all breast cancer team for the purposes of attending International Breast Cancer Paddlers Commission a.k.a. IBCPC being held in New Zealand in 2023. Now we are preparing for future international events and hope to do some domestic events. Each team is represented by one to two members on the Bay State Connection Dragons executive committee.
Lisa Butler
Co-Team Manager
After completing breast cancer treatment, I discovered my love and passion for dragon boating. It is a support sport that I need in my life.
I have been a member of Paradise City Dragon Boat Team for 8 years. Here I have found I have no limits to what I am capable of mentally, emotionally, and physically. I have been a founding member of Bay State Connection Dragons for 4 years. Here I have found what the true meaning of camaraderie is. Combining with other dragon boat teams and other breast cancer survivors has given me a unique gift. I traveled to New Zealand with Bay State Connection for the IBCP. It was an experience of a lifetime that I will always treasure. I learned that in the world of dragon boating, we all speak a common language of breast cancer. Breast cancer has no boundaries. It affects every country and race; it has no limits to the miles of who it affects. I thrive in a setting of team spirit. I love being with people that have also faced breast cancer and other challenges along their life’s journey.
Chris Cronin
Committee Member
After completing breast cancer treatment, I discovered my love and passion for dragon boating. It is a support sport that I need in my life.
I am a breast cancer survivor and have been dragon boating for 10 years. I am an inaugural member of The Springfield Dragon Rays in addition to being a member of Bay State Connection Dragons. I am a former chair of the Springfield Dragon Boat Festival.
I love the camaraderie of dragon boating. Getting fit out on the water and supporting other survivors are just two things that keep me paddling.
I’m thrilled to share my time and talent with the Bay State Connection Dragons leadership team.
Julianne Nevins
Co-Team Manager
I discovered dragon boating in 2017. I had just finished a course of radiation treatment for breast cancer, and while I was still undergoing other treatments, the radiation left me feeling exhausted. I desperately wanted to feel active. I found a Wellness Warriors brochure at my cancer center, and, despite my apprehension (I had no idea what dragon boating was), I sent off an email and signed up.
Little did I know that I would love paddling with this group from my first practice. The paddling helps me feel strong and capable, and I have loved the challenge of the races and discovered a competitive athlete within myself. But I have gotten just as much benefit, if not more, from being part of a group of cancer survivors and thrivers. Wellness Warriors, Bay State Connection Dragons, and the cancer survivor dragon boating community are the support groups I didn’t know I needed. Like a steadying arm around you, everyone picks you up when you need it, and you offer a hand or help to someone else when you can. Dragon boating provides a chance to push myself physically, feel strong and healthy, and connect and be with others who face similar challenges.
In 2023, I traveled to New Zealand with Bay State Connection Dragons to paddle in the IBCPC festival, and I can’t wait for the next IBCPC festival in 2026 in France.
I’m a breast cancer survivor and proud member of Wellness Warriors and Bay State Connection Dragons.
Kristin Pitoniak
Committee Member
I was in my 30s in 2011 with a young child at home when I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I navigated my way through then with support, humor, and tenacity. It had been years since my diagnosis and I found myself searching for an activity/group just for me. I had seen the dragon boat pics and team information table many times at the breast cancer walk and thought, “what fun for other people!”
I finally made the leap, learned to paddle, and joined the team. I feel physically strong and fierce. I am driven and committed and get so much joy from the physical challenge. I never expected to have a bucket full of new friends I never knew I needed.
Dragon boating has changed me. I looked at surviving as something I needed to do. Now I look at living as what I want to do. Surviving sometimes feels like you are keeping your head barely above water. Truly living is floating on top of the water and thriving beyond. I took a risk when I joined Paradise City Dragon Boat and Bay State Connection Dragons alone. I have never felt alone since.
I always resorted to humor when people asked me how I was doing after my breast cancer surgeries. I often said, “they opted to leave the head and the arms.” Interestingly enough, I need both my brain and my arms for paddling. What comes as no surprise is that each of us needs a heart too.
My thanks to Paradise City Dragon Boat and Bay State Connection Dragons for showing me the way.
Stephanie Richard
Treasurer
I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2012 and had a mastectomy and reconstructive surgery shortly thereafter. Once I finished my chemo and radiation treatments, I was able to participate in my first Rays of Hope walk in October 2013. The Dragon Rays dragon boat team had an information table there and they told me all about the sport. It looked like a lot of fun and an opportunity to get back into shape. Since the team was made up of breast cancer survivors, I felt like I would be able to connect with the other
team members and went to my first practice in November 2015.
During that time of year, the team works on strength training inside the boathouse. Everyone was very welcoming, and it was amazing to hear about their breast cancer journey. Then, spring started, and we were ready to get the boat in the water. It was such an exciting time! After paddling up and down the river a few times, I was eager and excited to learn how to synchronize my paddling with the rest of the team and start training for races.
Fast forward to today and our Dragon Rays team is like one big extended family. Even when we can’t be together, we check in on each other and celebrate holidays and occasions as a team. As survivors and after going through everything we have, we all need a boost to feel confident in
ourselves again. For me, dragon boating has been great for that! It’s also been a way for me to get stronger, build so many friendships, and push myself to be the best I can be.
Laura Russell
Committee Member
I was diagnosed with breast cancer at Christmas 2002. In 2013 I joined a cancer survivor dragon boat team in Boston after much convincing from a friend. It was one of the best decisions I have ever made. In 2017 I heard of the IBCPC (International Breast Cancer Paddlers’ Commission). I found out they were hosting an event in Florence, Italy in July 2018 and wanted to go. I signed up with a team from Vermont that was looking for more paddlers and had the time of my life meeting breast cancer survivors from all over the world. When I came back to Massachusetts I decided that I wanted to take more breast cancer survivors to the next IBCPC and began Bay State Connection Dragons with others on the Executive Committee. We worked together and brought a team of 32 people (survivors and supporters) to New Zealand for the 2023 IBCPC event. What an amazing place New Zealand is and I thank them for hosting IBCPC 2023. Made more international friends, saw some from the 2018 IBCPC in Florence and rekindled our friendships. I am looking forward to the 2026 IBCPC in Aix Les Bains, France and connecting with my old friends and making more new friends! Dragon boating is not only a sport but it is a support network of survivors who find a way to race hard on the water then high five and hug one another in celebrating life off the water.