A Memorial Motorcycle or vehicle run will be held this Saturday, August 15 to benefit local cancer patients. 

Jorge Lorenzo/Getty Images
Jorge Lorenzo/Getty Images
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The event will start at 9:00 am from the Limestone Community School, through Grand Falls into Fort Kent, stopping at Madawaska Lake, returning on Route 1A, and visiting 4 Corners in Madawaska.  The ride will end with a barbecue and silent auction at the home of Pam Caldwell and her husband Kevin Pelletier in Limestone.  The event will also feature a 50/50 drawing.

Pamela Caldwell is organizing the event in memory of her brother Brian Caldwell, a self-employed carpenter who died from cancer on May 22nd, 2014.  According to his family he was a fun loving, hard-working man who loved family and enjoyed life.  He was diagnosed with Stage 4 Gastric Cancer on September 6, 2013.  Pam Caldwell, said that Brian was like so many other people living here in the County.

“Like a lot of other people here, Brian had no health insurance”, said Pam Caldwell.  “He had no means to pay the high cost of cancer care and like a lot of people here he was use to helping others not being the one who now needed the help”.

After a hard fought battle, Brian died on May 22nd 2014.   Pam Caldwell said that the family now understands more than ever the struggle that people go thru when they have cancer and are in a tough financial position.

“That is why we are doing this special event to raise funds for patients like Brian”, she said. “I learned from experience in Brian’s situation that the smallest things can make an enormous difference when there appears to be no hope.  Maybe it’s a light bill that needs to be paid, a prescription to purchase, a bag of groceries, or a gas card, all these things add up.  The fund we are starting with the help of the cancer center at Cary will go directly for these kinds of expenses for patients.”

Kaitlyn Umphrey, RN and Oncology Nurse at the Jefferson Cary Cancer Center in Caribou, got to know Brian and his family during his cancer treatment.

“Brian was a quiet, unassuming man that would really do anything for anybody”, said Umphrey.  “He had a sense of humor, he was very close to his family and he was so grateful for the support he received during his treatments.”

Umphrey also said that Brian is not alone in coping with the cost of care and that the cancer center is so pleased that the family is conducting this fund raising event for patients.

“There is such a great need out there,” said Umphrey.  “There are so many people who do not have health insurance and have a hard time coping with the cost of treatment.  This event will be a great benefit to those individuals and their families.”

Pam Caldwell met with the cancer center survivorship committee which is part of the cancer service at Cary Medical Center.  She said that she was so pleased with the care Brian received and that the family felt it wanted to work with the center to develop the fund.

“We so much appreciated the care and support we received at Cary”, said Pam Caldwell.  “Dr. Espinosa was wonderful and we saw that a number of people coming to the center were in the same place as Brian.  We wanted to work through the cancer center to see if they would be interested in helping us put this fund in place and we were very pleased with their response.”

Individuals wishing to participate in the Memorial Fund Raising event may contact Pam Caldwell at 325-4513 or by email bdcmotorun@yahoo.com for information.

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