Pictured: Carol Dodds and Dr. Rajaraman present the Blue Butterfly Evening 2025 event total to the QEII Foundation, which raised over $31,300 to support thyroid cancer care in Nova Scotia.
When Carol Dodds was first diagnosed almost two decades ago with thyroid cancer, she felt isolated. Upon discovering that thyroid cancer has traditionally been under-researched and underfunded, she understood why she felt so alone.
“Back then, for every dollar raised for cancer care across the country, only pennies went towards thyroid cancer research,” she explains. “There was very little support.”
She remembers asking her QEII radiation oncologist, Dr. Mal Rajaraman, what fundraising existed in Nova Scotia for thyroid cancer at the time.
“He said there was none,” she recalls.
This gap in support and care inspired Carol to do better for local patients facing the same diagnosis.
And from there began a dialogue that led to Dr. Rajaraman and Carol working together to establish and grow a fundraiser for thyroid cancer.
Today, Blue Butterfly Evening, an event sparked by Carol’s desire to foster connection, awareness, and research for thyroid cancer, is one of Nova Scotia’s key community-led efforts supporting QEII thyroid cancer research and awareness.
In June 2025, Blue Butterfly Evening raised over $31,300 through the QEII Foundation, thanks to the generosity of long-time donors, attendees and a small but mighty volunteer committee that pours its heart into the event year after year.
Spreading its wings: The Blue Butterfly Evening unfurls
Blue Butterfly Evening hosted its first annual event in 2008 – an elegant affair at Saint Mary’s University in Halifax. In the early years, guests enjoyed drinks served along with paired hors d'oeuvres in a beautifully decorated space and bid on a silent and live auction featuring items at every price point, from a plane ride around Nova Scotia, to a boat cruise with dinner, to a crystal vase donated by a total stranger who wanted to support the event. Chinatown Restaurant annually donates group dinners, and many more individuals contribute items appealing to a range of interests.
“We have amazing supporters who generously bid on items and a family with several members treated for thyroid cancer who have become not only premium supporters but also bring so much joy and fun to the evening providing ‘classic’ moments in the history of any auction,” says Dr. Rajaraman.
From day one, the event drew a unique blend of medical professionals, patients, families, local politicians and community members, many of whom return year after year.
“For me it was really important to include everybody,” Carol says. “Anybody that wanted to support us, could support us in their own way.”
“It’s an enjoyable, very relaxing evening. You can come in your jeans, or in your best outfit.”
Over the years, Blue Butterfly Evening has featured live music and memorable special guests including Pete Luckett and Jeannie Becker.
Today, the annual event has found a new home at Brightwood Golf and Country Club in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. With a smaller venue and some post-pandemic changes, the format has evolved, but the spirit remains the same.
The current auctioneer, Chris Lydon brings incredible energy, wit and charm to the evening, and musician, Rose Nadira, contributes wonderful creative music to the evening, including a special song she composed for thyroid cancer patients.
The beauty of connection and advanced care
From its earliest days, Blue Butterfly Evening has had a dual purpose – raising funds and raising awareness but also building a sense of community and hope. When Carol was diagnosed, she says, “most people had never heard of thyroid cancer.”
“In the beginning, what was really important was it provided a network, and I was a resource person,” she says.
Early funds raised from Blue Butterfly Evening helped build a thyroid cancer database so patients could connect, find support and understand they were not alone.
“Our was not only fundraising but bringing awareness of what thyroid cancer meant to individuals. This I feel we have definitely achieved,” Carol says.
Starting in 2020, funds raised from Blue Butterfly Evening have helped support a new procedure in Atlantic Canada for patients living with thyroid nodules. In collaboration with QEII endocrinologist and Division Head of Endocrinology Dr. Ali Imran, and Dr. Rajaraman, new radiofrequency ablation equipment was recently brought to Nova Scotia.
In March 2025, Dr. Vicki Munro from the QEII’s Division of Endocrinology became the first physician in Atlantic Canada to perform radiofrequency ablation (RFA), a non-surgical, minimally invasive procedure performed under ultrasound guidance to reduce the size of thyroid nodules; lumps that form within the thyroid gland.
“Nodules can get so big that they cause symptoms like hoarse voice, difficulty swallowing, or a constant pressure in the neck, which can significantly impact daily life,” says Dr. Munro, noting that RFA procedures in Nova Scotia will first be used on patients with large, noncancerous nodules. Before, surgery was the only option.
Since certain Atlantic Canadian patients with benign nodules can receive now receive RFA at the Bayers Lake Community Outpatient Centre, this has the potential to reduce surgical waitlists for patients with cancerous and more complex nodules.
“While RFA opens a pathway to care for certain patients with thyroid nodules, other patients may still require an operation,” says Dr. Munro.
Pictured from left to right: Angela Whynot, clinical nurse educator, Bayers Lake Community Outpatient Clinic; Dr. Jesse Pasternak, endocrine surgeon with University Health Network Toronto; Dr. Vicki Munro, endocrinologist, Nova Scotia Health; Ryan Barn with new radiofrequency ablation technology to treat thyroid nodules. This new equipment has been supported by funds from Blue Butterfly Evening. Photo: Nova Scotia Health
The butterfly effect: a few people make a big difference
What makes Blue Butterfly Evening truly extraordinary is that it is nurtured entirely by volunteers. Just seven dedicated committee members work throughout the year to bring the event to life.
“One of the things I'm really, really proud of is that we're a very, very small community,” Carol shares. “Everybody has a role, and everybody gives it their very, very best.”
Touching QEII thyroid cancer care
Over the years, Blue Butterfly Evening has helped advance important technology, treatment tools and research at the QEII, shaping care and research for thyroid cancer patients across the region. Many QEII teams have shared that their work simply wouldn’t be possible without this community’s generosity and commitment.
For Carol and the incredible volunteers that pull the event together, hearing that impact is meaningful and inspiring.
For the donors, guests and supporters who help bring Blue Butterfly Evening to life each year, Carol’s gratitude is immeasurable.
“We’ve got people who have supported us from day one, and they continue to come,” she shares. Whether bidding at the auction, purchasing a ticket or simply donating, each person plays a vital part in changing what’s possible for thyroid cancer care at the QEII.
Thanks to this community, awareness has grown, support networks have strengthened, research and care has been supported, and QEII experts now have new technology to help treat thyroid nodules.
As Carol reflects on how far this journey has come, her message is simple:
“Do we have more work to do? Yes. But I feel we can be proud of what we have done so far.”
