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.
Cancer is a knock on the door of your life. Are you choosing joy? Are you embracing love? Are you fulfilling your dreams? Are you doing something meaningful? THIS is my something meaningful.
In October 2016, I was diagnosed with stage 4 bladder cancer. A second opinion visit to Dana Farber Cancer Institute revealed a secondary cancer within my bladder, a rare and aggressive form of small cell carcinoma. I can not stress enough the importance of a second opinion! I cut off my long hair and donated it, then began 6 rounds of chemo. What little hair I had left began falling out just 2 weeks into chemo. What I thought would be no big deal turned out to be very traumatic. This is when you truly know you are sick. 6 weeks after completing chemo, I had extensive surgery at Brigham & Women’s hospital in Boston. My bladder was removed along with my pelvic lymph nodes. Then, a portion of my intestine was used to build a new bladder. When the pathology report came back it showed no cancer! My surgeon looked me in the eye and said, “You are a miracle”!
5 weeks later, I returned to the hospital for another 6 days due to a serious kidney infection. When I got home, it was a struggle just to walk down the hall. This was when I was introduced to Dempsey Center. I met with Tish and toured the facility in Lewiston. I was amazed at the facility and all the services they offer there. Dempsey Center literally helped me to get back on my feet with fitness classes. I was gaining strength and starting to feel back to my old self. Then, my scan in Nov 2018 showed spots in the lymph nodes of my neck. A needle biopsy was done…my cancer had returned. I was back in treatment…3 rounds of chemo followed by 28 days of radiation with chemo every Monday. The first round of chemo kicked my ass! I spent 5 days at Mercy Hospital because I could not keep down any solid food. After 3 rounds of chemo, I had another CT scan. The results were not what they expected. Some spots had gone away while new ones had appeared. The decision was made to proceed with radiation. A couple weeks in, about 1/3 of the way through chemo, I broke out in hives all over my body. Dr. Inhorn had never had a patient have an allergic reaction to chemo before. I proved on numerous occasions to be the patient of unknowns and unusual results. On April 19, 2019, I completed radiation. As I healed, I began taking fitness classes again, thanks to Dempsey Center. Again, Dempsey Center was helping me get back on my feet. When I had my next scan, it showed No Evidence of Disease! Once again, I had beat cancer!!! I began massage treatments at Dempsey Center to relieve my body of the pain from treatments. You see, Dempsey Center isn’t about treatment; it’s about healing from treatment…mentally and physically. It’s such a relief that these services are at no cost to the client. I repeat this because it stays true…No matter how good your insurance is; cancer is a financial burden. No matter how good your mind is, cancer is a mental burden.
In July of 2024, I had my 5 year scans (from my second occurrence). I have been given the all clear and this message from Dr. Inhorn “have a good, long life”! AMEN!
Sadly, 1 in 3 Mainers will face a cancer diagnosis in their lifetime. I want that next person who hears “you have cancer” to have the support services available that Dempsey Center provides.
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 can not thank you all enough for supporting me and the passion I have for Dempsey Center. It truly matters!
Peace & Love…Fran