LEWISTON, Maine — Kathy Thomas fought breast and ovarian cancer for more than two decades. The answer for how she got through it came quickly.
"Her, my son and my grandbabies. Yeah, you got to fight and got to see them and be there with them. We're all in this together," said Thomas.
The Dempsey Center was a key part of the support team for so many of the survivors who walked Saturday morning.
"There were days where she was just depressed. We needed a lot of support and the center kind of just gives that to you," said participant Nicky Murphy.
"[Patrick Dempsey] would visit her when she was having treatment. His mother would write her letters," said participant Michelle Bickford.
Bickford described a close connection between the Dempsey family and her friend, Angela Black. Black died of breast cancer at 39 years old.
"If we weren't here she'd be very upset," said Bickford.
"People ask me, 'Oh you're still walking?' She's been gone a long time. I say, 'She'd strike me with lightning if we weren't here.' She was bossy like that," said Murphy.
Walking to remember those lost, and walking to support survivors: No matter the connection to the disease, these people are united in their message for cancer.
"Fight it. Fight. Say your prayers. You can do it" says Thomas.
ABOUT THE DEMPSEY CENTER:
The Dempsey Center is committed to making life better for people managing the impact of cancer. This includes cancer patients, survivors, caregivers and family members of all ages.
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