1976- The Founding
The Maine Cancer Foundation was established
in 1976, the result of a gift received from a person whose
wife had died of cancer. The patients’ family and others
wanted to establish a cancer research foundation dedicated
to Maine people such that all funds raised within the state
would stay in Maine.
1980's - The Early Years
For the first ten years or so, the Foundation
received small memorial gifts. The Board of Directors would
meet periodically and decide how much funding to award in
grants. Funds were limited. Support of significant research,
particularly a multi-year commitment to support research was
not possible. Some years the level of funding that the
Foundation could provide was minimal and no proposals were
received. Nevertheless, the foundation continued its work.
Since its beginning, Maine Cancer
Foundation has underwritten "Discovery Weekend." This
weekend retreat was created to fill a gap in the unmet needs
of patients for emotional and spiritual support. The weekend
retreats focus on integrating medicine, spirituality, and
communication skills in the lives of people with cancer.
Three weekends have been held each year for the past
twenty-three years. A dedicated volunteer staff of
physicians, psychologists and social workers facilitate the
weekend program. Hundreds of cancer patients with their
husband/wife or other loved one have benefited. The
Foundation provides financial support to anyone who wants to
attend and may not be able to afford to.
During the 1980’s science and the world of
molecular biology was undergoing rapid development. All
cancers are diseases if unregulated genes. Physicians on the
board of MCF were anxious that cancer patients within the
state of Maine benefit from whatever scientific applications
this science had to offer. Because of the rapid development
of this branch of science, it was determined that the
foundation could and should play an active role in the
professional education of physicians, nurses and others in
the application of DNA based science. The Foundations name
was changed to reflect the inclusion of education as part of
the mission hence, the Maine Cancer Research and Education
Foundation.
1990's -
Opportunity
In the early 1990's Dr. Ronald Carroll, a
medical oncologist at Maine Center for Cancer Medicine, who
had been on the Foundation board since its inception, became
its next President succeeding Roger Castonguay. Dr. Carroll
felt that the Foundation had a major role to play in the
fight against cancer in the state. As a result of a
successful proposal to the Davis Foundation, the first full
time director was hired in 1992 and a small office provided
in Portland.
As assets grew, the Foundation created and
presented a twelve-hour symposium on the fundamentals of DNA
science, as it applied to cancer, to physicians in the state
through several hospitals. In addition, the Foundation
presented symposia at the University of Maine School of Law
in an effort to increase awareness among lawyers and law
makers to issues of confidentiality as they relate to
genetic information, to patient care, the law, and the
potential for genetic based discrimination against patients.
The same fundamental information was also presented to the
public through Senior College at the University of Southern
Maine.
The Foundation has also developed fund
raising events. A Road Race was held for three years,
1995-98, followed be a Golf Tournament in 1999 and planned
for 2000. MCF joined the Community Health Charities appeal.
Grant proposals were written for specific needs. Several
significant bequests were received continuing the
organizations growth.
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