Paddling with A Purpose

Breast Cancer Survivors Find Strength Together on the Water

166 strong, the Hope Chest paddling team is made up entirely of breast cancer survivors who participate in a unique health and fitness program focused on physical and emotional healing.

The wellness program, Hope Chest, was created by Laurie Hyzy and Nina Sacco, close friends who aspired to become personal trainers. When Sacco was diagnosed with breast cancer, she continued to exercise and became determined to make a difference in the lives of fellow survivors.

Today, Hope Chest exercise classes are held at several Catalyst Fitness locations. A nutrition program based on National Cancer Institute guidelines for cancer prevention is also offered, featuring lectures, educational materials, and hands-on cooking experiences.

Shortly after the program’s inception, research conducted by Dr. Don McKenzie of Vancouver, British Columbia, dispelled the myth that breast cancer survivors should avoid repetitive upper-body exercise. He formed the first all-breast-cancer-survivor dragon boat team, Abreast-In-A-Boat. Today, according to the International Breast Cancer Paddlers’ Commission, more than 400 member teams exist across dozens of countries worldwide.

Though Sacco lost her eight-year battle with breast cancer in May 2000, Hope Chest continues to honor her memory through boats named Nina’s Hope and Nina’s Dream. At Buffalo’s annual Dragon Boat Festival, the team’s boats are known as Nina’s Hope, Nina’s Dream, Nina’s Vision, and Laurie’s Gift.

This year’s Dragon Boat Festival, held June 13 at Buffalo RiverWorks, brought together survivors, families, friends, and supporters for a day of racing, remembrance, and celebration.

Three of the Buffalo teams in the same race | Hope Chest member Lois Stoorza at the Awakening the Dragon ceremony

“Paddle witha Purpose, Work Out Like a Woman, and Empower Yourself!”

The festival began with Awakening the Dragon, a traditional ceremony in which the eyes of the carved dragon head attached to each boat are dotted with red paint, symbolically ending the dragon’s slumber and re-energizing its spirit, or qi (pronounced “chee”). The ritual remains an important part of dragon boat culture and helps connect modern racing to its ancient Chinese origins.

Although the sport has evolved over time, its roots remain firmly planted in ancient Chinese traditions. The boats are designed to resemble dragons, with carved heads at the bow, tails at the stern, painted scales along the hull, and paddles representing the creature’s claws.

According to Local Program Director and Coach Anne Kist, the Awakening of the Dragon typically takes place before teams head to the waterfront. “We usually have somebody of some significance within the organization, or outside the organization, that has really supported the organization over the years,” Kist says, “dot the eye of the dragon.”

One of the festival’s most meaningful moments was the Carnation Ceremony, a tribute to those who lost their battle with breast cancer. During the ceremony, names of deceased members were read aloud, followed by a moment of silence. Carnations were then cast into the water in remembrance of friends, mothers, grandmothers, aunts, nieces, sisters, partners, and teammates. Dragon boats filled with survivors gathered together on the water, creating a powerful display of strength and unity.

Eighty-eight women participated in this year’s festival. Each team consisted of twenty paddlers, a drummer, and a steer person. Bonnie Ess, Hope Chest’s Health and Fitness Program Director, served as a steer person for the team. “I think a lot of Buffalo doesn’t know we’re here,” Ess says. “Hopefully this event shines a light on the organization so other survivors can learn more.”

Ess adds that survivors realize there’s more they can do after breast cancer besides talking about it. “Breast cancer survivors being this active is positive for anyone who doesn’t know what to do after diagnosis. They don’t know how to get back to feeling empowered and healthy again. Hopefully that’s what the Festival does; it brings our organization to light for people who need us and it raises money so we can pay for what we do.”

Team Board President Catherine Wrona has participated in every festival since 2019. “I think this festival is important because it shows people that breast cancer doesn’t have to be a death sentence—we can make something great out of such horrible news,” she says.

Wrona adds, “People come to this festival to support the women who are important to them,” she says. “My sons, my significant other, my friends — they come to cheer me and the team on, and it makes me smile to hear them yelling my name from the sidelines. And they always have fun!”

Gina Dudkowski, a past team vice president and current paddler, describes Hope Chest as “a group of women who are warriors. They are thriving after going through the darkest hours of their life, coming out the other side and coming together to do something as a group.” For her, it’s not about winning as much as it is the camaraderie and cheering each other on. It’s about “celebrating when we’re winning, even celebrating when we’re losing, and celebrating with all the teams that come to Buffalo.”

Ultimately, no matter what state of treatment or recovery they are in, survivors are inspired to lead active and fulfilling lives while embracing the Hope Chest motto, “Paddle with a Purpose, Work Out like a Woman, and Empower Yourself!”

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 www.hopechestbuffalo.org  //  IG & FB: @hopechestbflo 

Article By Judith A. Rucki

Photos Courtesy of the Hope Chest