CARIBOU — The Cary Medical Center Ladies Auxiliary will host the inaugural Walk for Hope on Saturday, Oct. 1, beginning at the hospital’s Chan Center. All proceeds from the Walk will benefit “Brian’s Ride” to assist patients receiving cancer treatment at the Jefferson Cary Cancer Center.
The hospital auxiliary was started in 1954 by a group of lady volunteers who had a common commitment with the hospital goals, and a common concern for the health of their community, explained Betty Walker, auxiliary president. Over the years, the group has played an important part in providing much-needed funds for equipment and services to support the hospital’s mission to provide excellence in patient-centered care and community well-being.
Among other projects, the auxiliary has contributed to the additions of the Hayward Suite and the Oncology and Specialty Clinic areas at Cary, and the Women and Children’s Health Center at Pines Health Services.
“For 23 years, one of the auxiliary’s annual fundraising events was the Walk for Care, held in October to raise funds to raise breast cancer awareness and to assist the hospital’s efforts in building a new mammography suite,” Walker said. “In recent years, the auxiliary has contributed $50,000 towards the purchase of a new digital mammography machine and $200,000 towards construction of Cary’s new Women’s Imaging Center that opened in 2013.”
This year, the auxiliary is expanding its focus to support all types of cancer. Funds raised at this year’s Walk for Hope (with ‘Hope’ standing for ‘Having Only Positive Expectations’) will be used to support “Brian’s Ride” and patients undergoing treatment at the new Jefferson Cary Cancer Center.
On Oct. 1, Walk for Hope registration will start at 9 a.m. in the Chan Center at Cary Medical Center. The approximately 2-mile walk begins at 10 a.m. and also ends at the Chan Center, where a light lunch will be served for participants.
Pledge forms are available at Cary Medical Center, all Pines Health Services locations and local banks.
Brian’s Ride was established by family members and friends of local resident Brian Caldwell, who was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer in September 2013 and passed away in May 2014. Like so many people living in Aroostook County, he had no means of paying the high cost of cancer care and was used to helping others, not being the one who needed help. Brian’s family and friends know that from the time of diagnosis, cancer is a journey, and throughout that journey, individuals experience hills, valleys and winding roads.
By establishing Brian’s Ride, their goal was to help others on their journey through cancer, so they organize fundraising events to benefit the Jefferson Cary Foundation, to be used strictly for patients who receive their cancer treatments there. To date, over $5,000 has been raised and given to patients requesting assistance.
The Cary Medical Center Ladies Auxiliary meets the second Thursday of each month, September to May, from 6:30-8 p.m. in the Chan Center.
For more information about Walk for Hope or the auxiliary, contact Walker at 498-1354 or email bwalker@carymed.org.
