Steering Committee

Jane Frost is one of the twenty-four women living with breast cancer who, in 1996, slipped into a dragon boat, becoming the team Abreast In A Boat (AIAB) and giving birth to a Canadian legend and an international movement.

Dr Don McKenzie, Diana Jespersen, Dr Sherri Niesen Magee and Dr Susan Harris (also a member of that first crew who are now affectionately referred to as "The Originals") took those twenty four- women through what was to be a six-month project to test Dr McKenzie's theory that repetitive upper body exercise would in fact be beneficial and not injurious to women who had been treated for breast cancer.

After that first season it was Jane's idea to take Abreast In A Boat to paddle in an international dragon boat festival in Wellington, New Zealand in 1998. The rest, as they say, is history.

Since its inception Jane has been responsible for providing AIAB with a comfortable structure. In 1996 she was instrumental in acquiring the services of Contemporary Communications, a media advisory company that worked with Jane put together the AIAB sponsorship program. This program garnered the support of the Bank of Nova Scotia and other prominent Canadian corporations and organizations. A special relationship subsequently developed with the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. Scotiabank and CBCF continue to support AIAB as well as other teams in Canada and British Columbia.

Of all Jane's activities with AIAB her favourites have been: co-chairing with Jenny Yule the Ten Years Abreast Celebration which took place in Vancouver in 2005 to celebrate AIAB's tenth birthday and to which almost 2,000 women living with breast cancer came to Vancouver to wear fuchsia boas, paddle, sing, dance and make new friends. Her other favourite activity was coaching and mentoring the novice members of AIAB; affectionately referred to as "Goslings", named after the Canada geese and their newborn goslings that, each spring, share our local waters with the AIAB crews.

Jane's travels with AIAB have taken her to New Zealand, Australia, Singapore and all across Canada and the United States. In 1998 AIAB went to Toronto to paddle with Dragons Abreast and to receive the CTV National News Story of the Year Award. It was here that Jane first met Eleanor Nielsen. Then on a return trip to Toronto in 2000 Jane met Michelle Hanton and the crew from Australia. One thing led to another and today these friends, and others, have organized the International Breast Cancer Paddlers Commission.

Jane was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 1986 at the age of 36 and in 1999 was diagnosed with metastasis. Thanks to Dr McKenzie's wise advice, she views her cancer as a chronic disease and just gets on with her life. Jane is a proud mother, mother-in-law and grandmother. She loves spending time and traveling with friends and family. She has a full time job as a negotiator representing Canada's interests in settling land claims with Canada's First Nations people. Jane has been awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal, the Community Achievement Award from the Province of British Columbia and a Community Service Award from the Government of Canada.

Jane's most recent adventure, along with her paddling pals, Jenny Yule and five Originals was to take a crew of women living with breast cancer to a paddling venue (not just dragon boats), a regatta called the Vogalonga in Venice, Italy in May 2009. Jane saw this as a new and innovative opportunity to raise awareness about life after breast cancer in a country and on a continent that needs to see and hear the message of life, love and laughter that women with breast cancer demonstrate while paddling in dragon boats.

Jenny Yule has been particularly involved in Vancouver, Canada raising awareness about breast cancer in young women. She became a member of Abreast In A Boat (AIAB) in 1997, the second year for this team, and has worked hard for AIAB, captaining and managing teams and mentoring many novices. Currently she is coaching AIAB novices which she loves doing. Appreciating her own experience, from the outset Jenny has emphasized the importance of inclusiveness and participation and the significant benefits these bring to breast cancer survivors. Jenny has also supported and encouraged teams in Poland, Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia, England and Italy, and has watched with awe as breast cancer survivor paddling has spread around the world bringing its benefits to all who paddle. She was fortunate to be at the launch of the first team in England in 2004.

In 2005 Jenny co-chaired with Jane Frost the Ten Years Abreast Celebration in Vancouver, Canada to celebrate AIAB’s tenth season. The planning and orchestrating of this event was a major project that Jenny took on with great enthusiasm and energy. She managed the committee of over twenty people and did an outstanding job keeping everyone working together.

In 2007 Dragons Abreast Australia hosted a second International Participatory Festival at Caloundra. Approximately 45 teams charged a Steering Committee with the responsibility of formulating a process for choosing festival hosts and of preparing a structure for an international organisation. Jenny was one of five members of the steering committee.

This year, 2010, at Peterborough the International Breast Cancer Paddlers Commission (IBCPC) held its inaugural Congress where over 70 teams became members. Most importantly, the Constitution and By-laws for the Commission, primarily drafted by Jenny and Jane Frost, were approved. Jenny has worked diligently as the keeper of the notes, decisions and activities of the steering committee over the past three years. She has co-ordinated the work of the committee, keeping it focused and organized.

In 2009 Jenny was captain of a Canadian breast cancer dragon boat team, Forza Rosa. This team traveled to Venice, Italy to paddle with Italian breast cancer teams in the Vogalonga, a 32 kilometer event for all kinds of paddled vessels (www.forzarosa.com). She knew instinctively that this was
an important opportunity to support the Italian women and, in Europe, to spread the message of life, love and laughter that women with breast cancer demonstrate while paddling.

Jenny Yule was born and educated in Wales and came to Canada in the 1960’s. She recently retired from teaching and now volunteers her free time to community work. She was diagnosed with breast cancer when her children were four and seven. Jenny is grateful to her family and friends who continue to give inspirational support to her paddling commitment.

I was introduced to Dragons Abreast Australia (DAA) by a couple of friends I had met following my diagnosis, and I have been a member of Dragons Abreast since 2003. A highlight for me was the Australian Master Games in Canberra – also the 5th anniversary of DAA which was celebrated there. It was here that I first met the founder of DAA (Michelle Hanton) and also had the opportunity to listen to Dr Don McKenzie.

I have taken on a number of voluntary roles within DAA. I have been responsible for developing the DAA National Bulletin, have taken on the role of DAA Coordinator for my local group (Brisbane) and have been the DAA Regional Representative (Queensland) for the past 5 years.

I have also helped organise a number of “pink” regattas. Most notably, I was on the organising committee for Abreast in Australia 2007, where approximately 2000 breast cancer survivor paddlers from around the world joined us at Lake Kawana in Queensland. I have also taken a lead role in organising the inaugural DAA Queensland regatta in 2009, and the Pan Pac games (DAA coordination) which are held on the Gold Coast every 2 years.

I have represented DAA by presenting at various community groups (including Rotary and Zonta) and have presented at a number of conferences, including the International Reach to Recovery Conference in 2009.

Outside of DAA I have contributed my time to other breast cancer organisations in Australia. I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1999 aged 37, followed by mastectomy, chemotherapy and radiation and. This was followed by reconstruction a couple of years later.

Even though it is some years since my diagnosis, I love what DAA represents. It is important to me that we continue to provide a means for women to transition into full and active lives following their breast cancer diagnosis. I have been witness to some amazing changes in women I have met – both physically and emotionally.
From a professional perspective, I work full time in a global organisation within the Health IT industry as a Solution Specialist. I am supported by my amazing partner, Adrianna.

Inspired in 2006 by Eve Elliot Pearson from Liverpool, and following her visit to Singapore, Louisa was keen to use the experience of a lifetime in a way that would enable other breast cancer survivors’ greater access to dragon boating.

Louisa lives on the edge of the Lake District National Park in the North of England and close to Lake Windermere, the largest lake in England. In 2007, she co founded Paddlers for Life Windermere, which encourages a strong participatory ethos and undertakes to raise awareness of the benefits of dragon boat paddling. The team is now actively supporting the development of novice crews affiliated to Paddlers for Life in Scotland, the North of England and Manchester.

In the UK, dragon boat racing for breast cancer survivors is in its infancy. Louisa is learning from those international teams that have gone before and created sustainable success around the world. By presenting and explaining the concept, ideas and issues to others who are unfamiliar to them, Louisa continues to encourage the active involvement of a range of partners, locally and nationally. She is proactive in seeking out different styles and methods of communicating to help with the longer term needs and aims of a UK breast cancer dragon boat programme.

Louisa has produced detailed health improvement proposals about dragon boat paddling which show the benefits for people affected by breast cancer. While she has been successful in attracting funding from the major national UK charity, Breast Cancer Care and Macmillan Cancer Support, she recognises there is still much work to do in influencing opinions and attitudes.

Her understanding of the importance of a UK evidence base which reflected Dr Don McKenzie’s findings, led to establishing an effective and ‘enquiring’ relationship with Dr Helen Crank, Sheffield Hallam University. With the help of a National Health Service [NHS] Research Bursary, Louisa contributed to the decision making processes which enabled a feasibility study to go ahead during 2008. She was one of thirteen ladies who took part. More recently, Paddlers for Life Windermere supported the knowledge transfer study in Peterborough 2010.

Having trained as a registered nurse during the late 70s, Louisa’s early professional experience of breast cancer fortunately, bears little resemblance to her personal journey. She has worked within the UK National Health Service (NHS) for many years in a number of different roles. A scholarship award presented by Princess Alexandra enabled Louisa to gain her Masters in Science from the University of Lancaster in 2004. She is committed to the principles of public health, preventing ill health and promoting improvements in health and well being by building on others’ knowledge, experiences and values.

Louisa was diagnosed with breast cancer, aged 45, in 2004 when she requested her doctor’s opinion of a dimpled area of skin. Treatment involved chemotherapy, right mastectomy, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and hormone therapy which continues to date. In 2007, she elected for a prophylactic mastectomy.

Only with the support of her caring family and friends is she able to pursue her wish to share riding the dragon with other UK breast cancer survivors.

Betty Solley is a member of Against the Wind (ATW), the breast cancer survivor’s crew of the Philadelphia Flying Phoenix Dragon Boat Team (PFP). Betty participated with ATW in the International Breast Cancer Survivor dragon boat festivals in Vancouver, Australia and most recently in Peterborough, Canada. The Against the Wind crew actually pre-dates the parent organization, PFP and celebrates its tenth anniversary this year.

Betty was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2003, two months after losing her husband to leukemia. She first went out on the boat shortly after completing chemotherapy, and has never looked back. She knows first hand how dragon boat racing can enhance a survivor’s life in numerous ways and has worked steadily with her team to build an organization that has over one hundred members.

As current Philadelphia Flying Phoenix President, former Vice President and premier team captain, Betty has worked with the PFP Board and members to promote dragon boat racing in the Philadelphia region.

Outreach to the Wellness Community and regional breast cancer support groups through the Against the Wind Survivors in Sync program has brought many survivors to the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia to learn more about how dragon boating supports health and wellness, especially for those who have received our diagnosis.

Betty has collaborated with other area breast cancer survivor teams in producing an Eye-Dotting ceremony for the community, assisted other bcs teams in getting started with their dragon boat program, and coordinated opportunities for neighboring teams to meet for social get-togethers.

A former Health and Physical Education Teacher and Administrator, Betty spent the last five years before retirement as New Teacher Coach in the Philadelphia School District. She was a Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year and continues to work part-time with new teachers in the Philadelphia district.

When not on the water paddling, steering or teaching others the basics of dragon boating, Betty can be found on the golf course. A mother of five and grandmother of eight, Betty resides in Havertown, PA.