Thank you for visiting my personal fundraising page for this year's Dempsey Challenge!
The Dempsey Challenge is the premiere fundraising event for the Dempsey Center, a nonprofit founded by actor Patrick Dempsey. The Dempsey Center makes life better for people impacted by cancer by easing the side effects of cancer by improving their physical, emotional, social, familial, and functional well-being at any point in their cancer journey--all at no cost.
With a donation made to my page, you can help support thousands of cancer patients, survivors, care partners, and their loved ones. Gifts of any amount will provide no-cost support for years to come.
I never planned to be diagnosed with prostate cancer. I am one of the nearly 300,000 men diagnosed with the disease each year. But because of a strong support network, a positive attitude (some will call it stubbornness) and remaining active I am learning how to adapt based on this unfortunate disease. Two years ago, when I lost one of my best friends Dick Schade, my long-time friend/college roommate/fraternity brother/bike ride companion/coastal Maine sea kayak partner of 55 years to prostate cancer I hadn't bargained for fighting this disease myself. And sadly, Dick was one of over 35,000 men who are projected to die from prostate cancer this year. This disease spares no one and it's why I'm asking for your help.
Since Dick passed, I have been raising funds for a fantastic prostate cancer advocacy group, ZERO Prostate Cancer. Over the past two years, I have been fortunate to find incredibly generous donors who have collectively donated over $45,000 to help fight prostate cancer. This year however, I want to take my fight local to support a fabulous Maine based organization that provides no-fee services to all cancer patients, families and caregivers. This organization is the Dempsey Center. After watching his mother’s journey with ovarian cancer, actor and Maine native Patrick Dempsey wanted to make a space where those impacted by cancer could find relief, comfort, and resources. The Dempsey Center opened its doors in 2008 and today provides care and support to thousands of individuals and their families. As these programs are both in-person and virtual, they reach people across the US with over 20,000 annual visits. I have been using the services of the Dempsey Center for over a year and believe it is time to give back.
Will you donate today to help me support the Dempsey Center so those impacted by cancer can continue to receive no-fee services? This year Team A Wee Ride will participate in the Dempsey Challenge in September to raise funds for the Center.
My unplanned journey started when I had my annual physical and my PSA came in slightly elevated and my primary care doctor felt a small lump that he recommended be monitored under the care of a urologist. During the next several months of active monitoring it became clear I needed to have a biopsy to determine the real issues. I had been reluctant to undergo a biopsy but after constant encouragement from Dick Schade I had the procedure. The biopsy indicated stage 4 cancer and shortly thereafter Dick passed from prostate cancer – two very impactful events on my life.
Your donation makes all the difference for patients getting the help they need. Please donate today.
But with the support of my incredible family, friends and team of oncology doctors and some basic grit and determination of my own I have fought back and have successfully undergone chemotherapy, hormone injections and radiation therapy that has reduced the intensity of my metastasized lesions. Just prior to my diagnosis, my younger daughter, Katie, signed us of for a 40-mile Maine Lighthouse bike ride event. Shortly thereafter, my family all agreed we should fight on and ride the 40 miles to raise funds for ZERO. Not to be outdone, we signed up for the metric century (62 miles) Lighthouse Ride in 2024. Both years I was honored to receive ZERO’s prestigious Bold for Blue top fundraiser award at the annual summit meeting in Washington, DC. To date, Team A Wee Ride has raised over $45,000 to fight cancer! While in DC, Katie and I met with Senator Susan Collins and aides to Senator Angus King and Rep Chellie Pingree to advocate for additional funding for all cancers. I was also fortunate to meet a wonderful team from Bayer who asked if I would consider sharing my story by filming a prostate cancer awareness video. That video has now been viewed by almost 300,000 people worldwide – I would say we did our part in raising awareness! Check out the video here: https://youtu.be/vi35DE3302A
This year our fight continues so please would you consider making a donation to the Dempsey Center.
Can’t donate today? Share this fundraiser and invite your friends to give or join our fundraiser to make a difference! And please don’t forget to reach out to your employer to see if they have a matching gift program – The Dempsey Center needs every dollar we can raise.
Together, we can create a world where every cancer patient has access to the best possible support provided by the Dempsey Center.
On behalf of my family, thank you for donating generously to help me reach my initial 2025 fundraising goal of $10,000 - but in the past two years we exceeded our original goal so let’s do it again this year! Click donate to give now. If you would prefer to mail in your check, please send to the following and indicate it is for Larry Langmore Fundraiser:
Dempsey Center, PO Box 277 Auburn, ME 04212. EIN Number: 82-1547129