CARIBOU, Maine — Cary Medical Center held its 21st annual Breast Cancer Walk and Ride for Care on Saturday, Oct. 5 at 10 a.m. The weather was beautiful, and the turnout was even greater. Around 200 participated, and both walk and ride routes began at Cary Medical Center. The walk was approximately two miles in length.
Breast cancer survivors were recognized by wearing pink survivor sashes. Pins were available for purchase to wear in honor of someone, and a basket filled with items donated from the Cary Medical Center Ladies Auxiliary was to be raffled off during lunch. Tours of the new Mammography Suite were offered after the walk as well. The Mammography Suite is a new addition to Cary Medical Center thanks to the $200,000 raised during the past walks.
“We really appreciate all of our walkers,” said Allyson Masse, president of the Ladies Auxiliary.
Most of the walkers sported some sort of pink, and the Caribou Room was decked out in pink decorations and balloons. The riders showed up not too long after the walkers departed, and they proudly put on pink kerchiefs in honor of breast cancer. The amount of support present was amazing, and people really celebrated and took pride in the true reason for being present at this event.
“It’s devastating to get that news, and we want to help support people through something like that,” Masse said.
Masse was able to relate to the event on a personal level, and so was Rachel Coyote. Coyote was one of the breast cancer survivors present, and she was pleased to share her story and a few words of advice.
Coyote resides in Caribou and moved there from Hartford, Conn. in 2004. In December of 2004, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She received a mastectomy in Bangor in February of 2005.
“If the cancer gets detected early, it’s not a death sentence,” Coyote said.
Coyote never received any chemo, and has been cancer free for almost nine years. She advises women to perform their own breast exams.
“You have to do your own breast exams. If it wasn’t for that I would have never detected it,” Coyote said.
Coyote is one of many women who have battled breast cancer. But cancer doesn’t have favorites, and Coyote wanted to make everyone aware of this sad, but true reality.
“No matter how old you are, cancer can hit anyone,” Coyote said.
This is very true, and Coyote’s words are wise and helpful to us all. It reminds us to be aware, and it reminds us just how important breast health is.
Coyote proudly walked with all the other participants, who, in the end, all raised nearly $4,000.00. These proceeds are going towards breast health.
“It was a fun experience. People should participate because it’s for a good cause,” said April Caron, a member of the Ladies Auxiliary.
It was a wonderful experience for all those that took part. Hilary Jalbert of Caribou was the lucky winner of the basket raffle, and in the end, everyone who participated were all true winners.
