PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — Over the weekend, Lisa and Clark Scott, and their two sons Colby and Carson came out to support others affected by cancer in The Aroostook Medical Center’s Colors of Courage 5k walk and run.
It wasn’t so long ago, that the family didn’t know whether Colby would still be around today to participate in such a fundraising and awareness event.
In June of 2013, days before then 8-year-old Colby Scott’s summer vacation, what should have been a time for fun, his teacher noticed bruises on his body and the youngster appeared to be slipping academically.
Since Colby’s mother, Lisa Scott, also was struggling on occasion to stop his nose bleeds, the parents decided to have a doctor check him out.
Soon Colby was in an ambulance in route to Bangor, where tests indicated he might have just had a virus causing low platelets and diminished red and white blood cells. Doctors figured Colby would “bounce back,” his mother said, so they sent him back home to Bridgewater.
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- Clark and Lisa Scott of Bridgwater (from left) participated Saturday with sons Colby, a cancer patient, and Carson in TAMC’s 2017 Colors of Courage 5K run/walk fundraiser. (Joshua Archer)
But within a week back home, he was bleeding from the mouth. Cuts wouldn’t heal. And he woke up with his pillow soaked in blood.
Another trip to the hospital and he was diagnosed with bone marrow failure or aplastic anemia. He was going to die if he didn’t receive a bone marrow transplant.
Lucky for him he had a little brother who was a 10/10 match, according to Colby’s mom. So brothers Carson, then 6, and Colby went through the transplant in September after Colby underwent weekly blood and platelet transfusions over the summer.
But the transplant failed 18 months later and Carson volunteered again to donate more of his bone marrow.
“Sometimes it can be a challenge. When you donate blood, you feel tired,” Carson, now 10, said Saturday.
Colby’s doctor did a second transplant and then amped up Colby’s chemo. His body started making red and white blood cells again and platelets, too.
His mom said Saturday that with help from medications Colby, who will be 13 this month, is doing well.
Colby’s story is a common one. Stories of fights to stay alive, traveling back and forth from home and hospitals, struggles to pay for medications.
The Aroostook Medical Center’s Cancer Center offers patients a hand with travel costs, hotel stays and purchasing medications through their Cancer Care Patient Assistance Fund. Money for the fund comes from donations and fundraisers, that largest of which is the Colors of Courage 5K run/walk.
“We think it’s important to help our patients in any way we can, not just with their direct medical care, but also supporting them through their cancer journey as they fight this disease,” Hollie Gowen, TAMC philanthropy officer, said Saturday.
An estimated 150 patients, supporters and TAMC staff participated in this year’s Colors of Courage event.
“The color walk is a good place for patients to get together and it’s a good gathering place for them since they’ve all more or less been through the same type of journey. They’ve all heard those words, ‘You have cancer,’” Brenda Baker, TAMC cancer care manager, said.
When Colby Scott was diagnosed with cancer, his only option was to seek care down state and in Boston as TAMC only treats adult cancer patients. But that didn’t stop Colby and his brother Carson and their mother and father from coming out to Saturday’s event and carrying a Champion flag to raise awareness in the fight against cancer.
“We wanted to give back and that was the only way we could because there’s no pediatric cancer care up here, and the community was so good to us, so we wanted to spread awareness and be part of it,” said Lisa Scott.
There were 15 champions who held flags on Saturday. Each flag featured a different color representing a different form of cancer. Runners and walkers made their way from the TAMC campus to Mantle Lake Park and back. Forty kids participated in a fun run around the hospital. The top male finisher for the race was Tom Merrow with a time of 23:46. The top female finisher was Brittany Grass with a time of 24:15.
This year’s fundraiser brought in $3,026 and was donated to the TAMC Foundation, earmarked for the Cancer Care Patient Assistance Fund.
“The best part of the event is that every dollar goes toward patience assistance, which means this money is going to be turned into gas cards, hotel stays, non-covered prescriptions, this is a good chance to be able to help and do something right here in The County,” Jamie Guerrette, TAMC community health specialist, said.
About a month before Colby’s diagnosis in 2013, his mother had completed nursing school. After being a caregiver to her young boy during his cancer treatment, she pursued a career opportunity at TAMC’s cancer care center. She began her new job nine weeks ago.
Colby still has to visit his doctor in southern Maine every 30 days. His mom said that his bone marrow is 87 percent Carson’s at the moment, which is good, but 100 percent would be great.
During his battle with cancer, Colby missed two years of school. But he’s had tutors to help keep him up to speed on his studies and his father, Clark, said they do a lot of hunting and fishing to keep Colby busy.
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- Patients, supporters and TAMC staff gathered for the 2017 Colors of Courage 5K run/walk at TAMC on Saturday, Sept. 30, to raise money and spread cancer awareness. (Courtesy/TAMC)
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- The 2017 Colors of Courage 5K run/walk at TAMC on Saturday, Sept. 30, raised $3,026 for TAMC’s Cancer Care Patient Assistance Fund. Helping to celebrate the effort are, from left, Jennifer Tweedie, director of medical specialists at TAMC; Jamie Guerrette, community health specialist and event organizer; and Hollie Gowen, philanthropy officer. (Courtesy/TAMC)
