Staff, Carol Beagan

English

University of Maine

The University of Maine DigitalCommons@UMaine Maine Women's Publications - All Publications 6-1-2012 Maine Breast Cancer Coalition - Twenty Years of Volunterism and Service (2012) Carol Beagan Staff Maine Breast Cancer Coalition Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/maine_women_pubs_all  Part of the Women's History Commons Repository Citation Staff, Carol Beagan, "Maine Breast Cancer Coalition - Twenty Years of Volunterism and Service (2012)" (2012). Maine Women's Publications - All. 629. https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/maine_women_pubs_all/629 This Essay is brought to you for free and open access by DigitalCommons@UMaine. It has been accepted for inclusion in Maine Women's Publications - All by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@UMaine. For more information, please contact um.library.technical.services@maine.edu. Maine	  Breast	  Cancer	  Coalition	  Twenty	  Years	  of	  Volunteerism	  and	  Service	  by	  Carol	  Beagan,	  twenty-­‐year	  volunteer	  June	  2012	  	  It	  is	  hard	  to	  believe	  that	  it	  has	  been	  twenty	  years	  since	  a	  small	  group	  of	  breast	  cancer	  patients	  and	  their	  friends	  and	  family	  members	  joined	  our	  leader,	  Linda	  Morneault,	  to	  hold	  the	  first	  Breast	  Cancer	  Awareness	  Walk	  in	  Bangor.	  It	  was	  a	  very	  emotional	  day,	  as	  twenty	  years	  ago	  the	  survival	  rate	  for	  breast	  cancer	  was	  much	  lower	  than	  it	  is	  today.	  It	  was	  to	  be	  the	  beginning	  of	  a	  long	  journey	  for	  many	  of	  these	  women.	  Many	  of	  the	  leaders	  of	  the	  breast	  cancer	  community	  have	  lost	  their	  battle	  with	  breast	  cancer,	  but	  some	  of	  the	  original	  members	  of	  the	  Maine	  Breast	  Cancer	  Coalition,	  which	  was	  formed	  in	  1992,	  are	  still	  active	  and	  still	  advocating	  for	  better	  health	  care	  for	  all.	  	  In	  1993,	  several	  Maine	  women	  attended	  the	  first	  National	  Breast	  Cancer	  Coalition	  Advocacy	  Training	  Conference	  in	  Washington,	  D.C.	  We	  met	  with	  our	  state	  senators	  and	  representatives	  and	  urged	  them	  to	  support	  more	  research	  for	  breast	  cancer.	  In	  1993,	  we	  held	  another	  Breast	  Cancer	  Awareness	  Walk	  in	  Bangor.	  Our	  crowd	  had	  grown	  considerably,	  and	  one	  of	  the	  walkers	  was	  Bangor	  oncologist,	  Dr.	  Thomas	  Openshaw,	  who	  is	  still	  taking	  care	  of	  many	  of	  our	  women	  twenty	  years	  later.	  Another	  original	  member,	  Linda	  Ziegler,	  also	  held	  a	  walk	  in	  Rockland.	  In	  the	  fall	  of	  1993,	  thirteen	  Maine	  women	  attended	  a	  walk	  in	  Washington,	  D.C.,	  where	  250,000	  women	  from	  all	  over	  the	  country	  and	  many	  from	  other	  countries	  presented	  President	  Clinton	  with	  2.6	  million	  signatures	  to	  represent	  the	  number	  of	  women	  living	  with	  breast	  cancer.	  Linda	  Morneault	  and	  Laurel	  Bezanson	  were	  chosen	  to	  represent	  us	  in	  the	  White	  House	  to	  meet	  President	  and	  Mrs.	  Clinton.	  The	  walk	  was	  a	  huge	  step	  in	  increasing	  the	  budget	  for	  breast	  cancer	  research.	  Over	  the	  years,	  we	  have	  held	  many	  symposiums	  and	  testified	  at	  the	  State	  House	  many	  times	  regarding	  health	  care	  for	  women.	  We	  also	  have	  been	  represented	  in	  Washington,	  D.C.	  each	  year	  to	  advocate	  for	  more	  research	  and	  attend	  workshops	  to	  learn	  about	  the	  latest	  in	  breast	  cancer	  care.	  One	  of	  our	  most	  moving	  exhibits	  was	  “The	  Face	  of	  Breast	  Cancer”.	  It	  was	  an	  exhibit	  that	  traveled	  all	  over	  the	  United	  States	  for	  one	  year.	  With	  the	  help	  of	  the	  Steven	  and	  Tabitha	  King	  Foundation,	  we	  were	  able	  to	  present	  it	  at	  the	  South	  Portland	  Mall	  and	  the	  Bangor	  Mall.	  It	  was	  a	  collection	  of	  portraits	  of	  women	  who	  had	  lost	  their	  lives	  to	  breast	  cancer.	  There	  were	  two	  Maine	  women	  represented	  in	  the	  display.	  Years	  later,	  also	  with	  the	  help	  of	  the	  Kings,	  we	  were	  able	  to	  present	  Dr.	  Susan	  Love	  at	  a	  free	  conference	  in	  Augusta.	  	  	  	  	  In	  October	  1995,	  we	  took	  part	  along	  with	  members	  of	  the	  American	  Cancer	  Society	  and	  the	  Maine	  Breast	  and	  Cervical	  Health	  Program	  in	  the	  first	  Silver	  Tea	  for	  Breast	  Cancer	  Awareness	  hosted	  by	  First	  Lady	  Mary	  Herman.	  Also	  in	  October	  1995,	  Randa	  Shirland	  attended	  the	  Better	  Health	  Foundation	  training	  seminar	  for	  breast	  cancer	  resource	  guides	  in	  California.	  This	  would	  be	  the	  start	  of	  a	  two-­‐year	  project	  to	  gather	  information	  about	  breast	  health	  resources	  to	  distribute	  at	  no	  cost	  to	  doctors’	  offices,	  breast	  care	  centers,	  hospitals,	  clinics,	  and	  individuals	  interested	  in	  breast	  care.	  In	  1997,	  the	  first	  ever	  Maine	  Breast	  Cancer	  Coalition	  Breast	  Cancer	  Resource	  Guide	  was	  published,	  and	  we	  introduced	  it	  in	  Washington,	  D.C.	  to	  thousands	  of	  women	  attending	  the	  NBCC	  Conference.	  The	  late	  Heather	  Gilchrest	  was	  the	  designer,	  and	  she	  and	  Randa	  Shirland	  were	  co-­‐project	  managers.	  Many	  of	  our	  MBCC	  members	  helped	  with	  the	  research	  and	  editing	  on	  this	  project.	  As	  soon	  as	  the	  guide	  was	  released,	  we	  started	  to	  receive	  calls	  from	  uninsured	  or	  underinsured	  women	  of	  all	  ages,	  asking	  where	  to	  get	  financial	  help	  for	  mammograms	  and	  breast	  care.	  We	  began	  to	  work	  on	  how	  we	  could	  raise	  money	  to	  help	  these	  women.	  	  In	  2000,	  we	  were	  contacted	  by	  Dan	  DeLuca,	  a	  master	  swimmer	  from	  southern	  Maine	  whose	  mother	  had	  just	  been	  diagnosed	  with	  breast	  cancer.	  He	  was	  going	  to	  swim	  the	  length	  of	  Moosehead	  Lake	  and	  donate	  the	  pledge	  money	  raised	  to	  the	  MBCC.	  His	  first	  attempt	  was	  unsuccessful,	  as	  the	  weather	  turned	  very	  wild.	  Even	  though	  he	  was	  not	  able	  to	  complete	  the	  swim,	  he	  raised	  approximately	  $15,000	  and	  we	  were	  on	  our	  way.	  That	  year	  we	  also	  received	  a	  grant	  from	  Susan	  G.	  Komen	  Maine®,	  and	  we	  were	  able	  to	  help	  approximately	  fifty	  women	  through	  our	  newly	  launched	  Support	  Service	  Fund.	  	  The	  next	  year,	  Dan	  attempted	  the	  swim	  again;	  this	  time	  he	  was	  successful	  and	  raised	  over	  $25,000	  for	  us.	  	  Since	  that	  time,	  we	  have	  helped	  more	  than	  2,000	  Maine	  women	  and	  men	  with	  expenses	  not	  covered	  by	  insurance,	  including	  medical,	  household,	  travel	  and	  other	  miscellaneous	  expenses,	  and	  have	  raised	  over	  $1,000,000	  through	  many	  sources:	  grant-­‐making	  organizations,	  including	  the	  Komen	  Maine	  Affiliate,	  the	  Maine	  Cancer	  Foundation,	  and	  the	  Borman	  Family	  Foundation;	  also	  funding	  through	  DHHS/Maine	  Breast	  and	  Cervical	  Health	  Program	  contract	  funds	  supported	  by	  a	  Cooperative	  Agreement	  from	  the	  federal	  Centers	  for	  Disease	  Control	  and	  Prevention;	  the	  Maine	  Breast	  Cancer	  Specialty	  License	  Plate	  Program;	  donations	  from	  many	  businesses	  and	  small	  community	  groups	  including	  the	  York	  Hospital	  Breast	  Cancer	  Survivors	  Group,	  the	  Greater	  Bangor	  Area	  Women’s	  Ski/Snowboard	  Club,	  Maine	  Fraternal	  Order	  of	  Eagles	  Groups,	  PATCO	  Construction,	  and	  individual	  contributions	  by	  members	  and	  supporters	  of	  MBCC.	  	  We	  have	  received	  many	  honors	  and	  recognition	  for	  our	  volunteer	  work	  over	  the	  years.	  To	  list	  a	  few,	  in	  2000,	  Rosemarie	  LeGasse	  and	  I	  were	  chosen	  to	  be	  on	  the	  panel	  at	  the	  President’s	  Cancer	  Panel	  at	  the	  University	  of	  Vermont	  Hospital.	  MBCC	  was	  chosen	  as	  a	  “Many	  Hands”	  organization	  by	  Channel	  6,	  received	  the	  Cure	  Breast	  Cancer	  for	  ME	  “Citizen	  Advocate	  Award”,	  Lymphedema	  Patient	  Advocacy	  Award,	  “2	  Those	  Who	  Care”	  Volunteer	  Agency	  of	  Distinction	  Award	  from	  WLBZ	  Channel	  2,	  and	  have	  received	  hundreds	  of	  letters	  from	  people	  whom	  we	  have	  helped.	  These	  people	  shared	  their	  heartbreaking	  stories	  about	  what	  it	  meant	  to	  them	  to	  be	  able	  to	  pay	  a	  bill	  or	  keep	  their	  family	  together	  while	  going	  through	  treatment.	  This	  is	  why	  we	  do	  what	  we	  do.	  Finally,	  we	  wouldn’t	  have	  been	  able	  to	  do	  all	  of	  this	  without	  the	  help	  of	  many,	  many	  people	  who	  gave	  us	  money	  and	  support	  over	  the	  years	  and	  without	  the	  volunteers	  who	  stayed	  with	  us	  for	  many	  years.	  	  Thank	  you	  to	  the	  MBCC	  founding	  group	  and	  our	  long-­‐time	  volunteers:	  Fran,	  Heather,	  Barbara,	  Rachel,	  Diane,	  Randa,	  Anne,	  Jean,	  Martha,	  Laurel,	  Pat,	  Linda,	  Carol,	  Pam,	  Ro,	  Chris,	  Carmen,	  Nancy,	  Cathy,	  Agatha,	  Elaine,	  Terry,	  Joyce,	  Betty	  Lou,	  Sara,	  Selena,	  Meredith,	  and	  my	  son,	  Michael	  Beagan,	  who	  redesigned	  our	  Resource	  Guide	  and	  letterhead	  in	  2004,	  designed	  our	  logo	  and	  brochures,	  and	  designed	  the	  home	  page	  for	  our	  website	  in	  2005.	  I	  know	  I	  probably	  have	  forgotten	  someone	  and	  I	  apologize	  ahead	  of	  time.	  It	  has	  been	  an	  honor	  and	  a	  privilege	  to	  work	  with	  all	  of	  these	  caring	  women	  and	  to	  be	  able	  to	  take	  part	  in	  helping	  so	  many	  people	  when	  they	  were	  very	  vulnerable.	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  

Maine Breast Cancer Coalition - Twenty Years of Volunterism and Service (2012)

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Maine Breast Cancer Coalition - Twenty Years of Volunterism and Service (2012)

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