• Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Youtube
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Rss
  • Store
  • Donate
NCCS - National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship
  • About
    • Our Mission
    • Our History
    • Our Team
      • Policy Advisors
    • Employment
    • Partnerships
    • Financial Information
  • Policy
    • Quality Cancer Care
    • Access to Care
    • Health Equity
    • Redefining Functional Status (RFS)
    • 2021 State of Cancer Survivorship Survey
    • 2020 State of Cancer Survivorship Survey
    • Cancer Care Planning and Communications Act (CCPCA)
  • Get Involved
    • What is Advocacy?
    • Cancer Policy and Advocacy Team (CPAT)
    • Survivorship Champions
    • Subscribe to NCCS Updates
    • Elevating Survivorship
    • Survivor Stories
    • Cancerversary
    • State-Based Cancer Advocacy
  • Resources
    • COVID-19 Resources for Cancer Survivors
    • Survivorship Checklist
    • Cancer Survival Toolbox
    • Telehealth
    • Publications
      • Talking With Your Doctor
      • Self Advocacy
      • Employment Rights
      • Remaining Hopeful
    • Cancer Convos Podcast
    • Taking Charge of Your Care
    • Care Planning for Cancer Survivors
    • Tools For Care Providers
    • Order Our Resources
  • News
  • Events
    • Ellen L. Stovall Award
      • Nominations
      • Awardees
      • Committees
      • Sponsors
    • Cancer Policy Roundtable (CPR)
      • Spring 2022 CPR
      • Fall 2021 CPR
      • Spring 2021 CPR
      • Fall 2020 CPR
      • Spring 2020 CPR
    • 2021 State of Survivorship Survey Results Briefing
    • Cancer Policy and Advocacy Team (CPAT) Symposium 2021
    • From Shadows to Life: A Biography of the Cancer Survivorship Movement
    • Webinars
  • Contact Us
  • Search
  • Menu Menu
  • 0Shopping Cart

Your generous year-end donation will be matched $1 for $1    DONATE

DChallengeThumb

Celebrating Hope and Community at the Dempsey Challenge in Lewiston, Maine

October 7, 2014/in Cancer News, Cancer Policy Blog, NCCS News NCCS News /by actualize

Two weeks ago I was able to represent NCCS at the Dempsey Challenge with the Amgen Breakaway from Cancer partners. Breakaway from Cancer (BFC) is a national initiative founded in 2005 by Amgen which seeks to increase awareness of the important resources available to people affected by cancer—from prevention to education and support to financial assistance and survivorship. One of the events sponsored by BFC is the Dempsey Challenge located in Lewiston, ME. The Dempsey Challenge is the primary fundraiser for The Patrick Dempsey Center for Cancer Hope & Healing (Dempsey Center) which was founded by actor Patrick Dempsey whose mother lived with ovarian cancer for 17 years and recently died in March.

DC2014FB2Over the course of the two-day event, which raised approximately $1.3 million, more than 3,000 people participated in a 5k run/walk, survivor walk, bike race, live entertainment, health and wellness expo, and much more. While representing NCCS at the Amgen BFC tent, I spoke to many members of the community who had directly benefitted from the services provided by the Dempsey Center. Their stories were full of heartache, loss, triumphs, and most importantly hope.

Hope was a major theme throughout the events. Not only is it in the name of the center, but it is interwoven in this community and it was the theme that connected every story delivered at the Dempsey Champions for Hope Celebration. At the celebration, cancer survivors told powerful stories that demonstrated the value of the services provided, free of charge, by the Dempsey Center. We heard how family therapy sessions assisted families addressing the complicated emotions spurred by a cancer diagnosis, how cooking classes help survivors establish healthy nutrition habits, and how massage has both physical and therapeutic effects after a chemotherapy treatment. At NCCS, we have always recognized the power of hope, but to hear it articulated from survivors has a lasting impact.

One story in particular followed me home from Maine. At the BFC tent, we were visited by a woman who is living with cancer, as is her twin sister. While they have the same form of cancer, her sister’s is more aggressive which requires that she be treated at a hospital about 120 miles from home. Her sister has not been able to sustain employment during her diagnosis and therefore cannot afford the transportation expense. As a result, she has been financially assisting her sister while also financially supporting her own cancer care. This situation is incredibly burdensome for both.

Another story came from an older adult who, after receiving treatment, was unable to tie her shoes, a function that most take for granted. She said the free yoga classes that were provided by the Dempsey Center were pivotal in helping her regain the strength to tie her shoes and therefore begin the process of re-establishing her independence.

All of these stories, whether stories of struggle or triumph, inform our work and policy priorities at NCCS as we advocate for quality cancer care. It is important for us that we keep our pulse on the cancer survivor community so our work stays relevant and in sync with the needs of the approximately 14.4 million Americans living today who have a history of cancer.

Thank you to the Lewiston community for sharing your stories with us.

Post by Kelsey Nepote

Tags: breakaway from cancer, cancer care, Cancer Survivorship, quality
Share this entry
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on WhatsApp
  • Share on LinkedIn
https://canceradvocacy.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/DChallengeThumb.jpg 321 800 actualize https://canceradvocacy.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/NCCA-Logo.png actualize2014-10-07 16:35:552020-10-21 13:41:12Celebrating Hope and Community at the Dempsey Challenge in Lewiston, Maine

Latest News

Beyond the Checkbox: Cancer Survivorship Care Delivery in the Community - Dr. Crystal Labbato

Webinar – Beyond the Checkbox: Delivering Meaningful Cancer Survivorship Care in a Community Setting

May 20, 2022
Last week, NCCS hosted a conversation with cancer control expert and epidemiologist Otis Brawley, MD. NCCS CEO Shelley Fuld Nasso moderated the discussion. “We knew exactly who we wanted to be our first guest speaker in this series. Dr. Otis Brawley is a Bloomberg Distinguished Professor at Johns Hopkins University, an oncologist and an epidemiologist. [...]
Read more
https://canceradvocacy.org/wp-content/uploads/Beyond-the-Checkbox-Crystal-Labbato.jpg 600 1200 NCCS Staff https://canceradvocacy.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/NCCA-Logo.png NCCS Staff2022-05-20 13:39:272022-05-20 13:39:27Webinar – Beyond the Checkbox: Delivering Meaningful Cancer Survivorship Care in a Community Setting
Michelle Mollica PhD Webinar Survivorship Needs for People with Metastatic and Advanced Cancers

Webinar: Survivorship Needs for People Living with Advanced and Metastatic Cancers

May 6, 2022
Last week, NCCS hosted a conversation with cancer control expert and epidemiologist Otis Brawley, MD. NCCS CEO Shelley Fuld Nasso moderated the discussion. “We knew exactly who we wanted to be our first guest speaker in this series. Dr. Otis Brawley is a Bloomberg Distinguished Professor at Johns Hopkins University, an oncologist and an epidemiologist. [...]
Read more
https://canceradvocacy.org/wp-content/uploads/Webinar-Michelle-Mollica-Metastatic-Survivorship-Needs.jpg 600 1200 NCCS Staff https://canceradvocacy.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/NCCA-Logo.png NCCS Staff2022-05-06 11:32:162022-05-06 12:35:15Webinar: Survivorship Needs for People Living with Advanced and Metastatic Cancers

Erin McGee Ferrell: The Art of Cancer Advocacy

May 5, 2022
Advocate Spotlight May 2022 - Erin McGee Ferrell Erin McGee Ferrell’s cancer…
Read more
https://canceradvocacy.org/wp-content/uploads/Erin-McGee-Ferrell-Advocate-Spotlight-1200px.jpg 600 1200 NCCS Staff https://canceradvocacy.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/NCCA-Logo.png NCCS Staff2022-05-05 12:00:402022-05-05 12:03:28Erin McGee Ferrell: The Art of Cancer Advocacy

Take Action

Make An Impact

We are relentless in improving the quality of care and life after a cancer diagnosis. Your support makes all the difference right now.

Make a Gift »

Join CPAT

The NCCS Cancer Policy & Advocacy Team (CPAT) is a program for survivors and caregivers to learn about pressing policy issues that affect quality cancer care in order to be engaged as advocates in public policy around the needs of cancer survivors.

Share Your Story

NCCS represents the millions of Americans who share a common experience – the survivorship experience – living with, through and beyond a cancer diagnosis.

STAY CONNECTED

Together we can improve cancer care for survivors! Sign up to be the first to know about cancer policy issues and ways to take action

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
  • About
    • Our Mission
    • Our History
    • Our Team
      • Policy Advisors
    • Employment
    • Partnerships
    • Financial Information
  • Policy
    • Quality Cancer Care
    • Access to Care
    • Health Equity
    • Redefining Functional Status (RFS)
    • 2021 State of Cancer Survivorship Survey
    • 2020 State of Cancer Survivorship Survey
    • Cancer Care Planning and Communications Act (CCPCA)
  • Get Involved
    • What is Advocacy?
    • Cancer Policy and Advocacy Team (CPAT)
    • Survivorship Champions
    • Subscribe to NCCS Updates
    • Elevating Survivorship
    • Survivor Stories
    • Cancerversary
    • State-Based Cancer Advocacy
  • Resources
    • COVID-19 Resources for Cancer Survivors
    • Survivorship Checklist
    • Cancer Survival Toolbox
    • Telehealth
    • Publications
      • Talking With Your Doctor
      • Self Advocacy
      • Employment Rights
      • Remaining Hopeful
    • Cancer Convos Podcast
    • Taking Charge of Your Care
    • Care Planning for Cancer Survivors
    • Tools For Care Providers
    • Order Our Resources
  • News
  • Events
    • Ellen L. Stovall Award
      • Nominations
      • Awardees
      • Committees
      • Sponsors
    • Cancer Policy Roundtable (CPR)
      • Spring 2022 CPR
      • Fall 2021 CPR
      • Spring 2021 CPR
      • Fall 2020 CPR
      • Spring 2020 CPR
    • 2021 State of Survivorship Survey Results Briefing
    • Cancer Policy and Advocacy Team (CPAT) Symposium 2021
    • From Shadows to Life: A Biography of the Cancer Survivorship Movement
    • Webinars
  • Contact Us

National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship
8455 Colesville Road  |  Suite 930  |  Silver Spring, MD 20910
877-NCCS-YES  |  info@canceradvocacy.org
Privacy Policy  |  Terms and Conditions

Copyright © 1995-2021 by the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship
National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship, NCCS, Cancer Survival Toolbox, and related Logos are registered in the United States as trademarks of the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship.

WCOE: The Open Payments Data Release NCCS Starburst Thumbnail journeyforward Two Free Apps Help Manage Cancer Symptoms and Coordinate Care
Scroll to top
Get Updates From NCCS

Be the first to hear about cancer policy and survivorship issues! Subscribe and receive the biweekly NCCS Health Care Roundup, invites to webinars and events, and more.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Connect With Us

Twitter     Facebook     Instagram     LinkedIn     YouTube

Harmar Brereton, MD

Founder
Northeast Regional Cancer Institute

 

“Perhaps one of the most impactful collaborations in Dr. Brereton’s extraordinary career remains his early work and long friendship with Ellen Stovall. Through him, and in turn through the thousands of lives he has touched, Ellen’s work continues, and her mission lives on.”

—Karen M. Saunders
President, Northeast Regional Cancer Institute