Info Guide | Dempsey Center

LEWISTON + SOUTH PORTLAND

For people managing the impact of cancer

Dem pseyCenter.o rg 877. 3 3 6.7287

Wel come to t h e D e m ps ey Ce n te r

Commu nity Imp a ct — Trevor ’s Story During the summer of 2018, I was about to start chemotherapy for colon cancer and I was an emotional wreck. The diagnosis shook me to the core. I was only 41 years old, with a wife and two young daughters. Fear and sadness dominated my daily thoughts.

A friend suggested I learn about the Dempsey Center. I went to the website, and that same day I attended a guided meditation group. For nearly an hour, I sat in relaxation with five other cancer warriors. At the end of the session, I began to cry. Emotion poured out of me as I shared my story.

Every person in that room comforted me and offered me strength and wisdom. It was an extraordinary display of love from people who understood what I was going through.

If you or someone you love has received a cancer diagnosis, let the Dempsey Center help.

Whether you are a cancer patient, survivor, caregiver, or family member—the Dempsey Center has services designed with you in mind. All services are provided at no cost, so you have one less thing to worry about as you navigate your cancer experience.

The best way to begin using Dempsey Center services is to schedule an orientation visit.

During your visit, you will meet with a staff person or trained volunteer. This is your chance to tour the center and to tell us about your cancer experience and the challenges you are facing. Based on what you tell us, we will recommend the services that can best meet your needs.

To schedule your personal orientation appointment, call the Dempsey Center at 877.336.7287.

Since that day, I have attended weekly support one-on-one counseling, and received oncology at no cost to me. I honestly can’t imagine what experience would be like without the Dempsey —Trevor Maxwell

groups, done massage, all my cancer Center.

Co m ple m e n t ar y Th e rap i e s

Nu trition

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Complementary therapies have been shown to lessen the negative effects of cancer and cancer treatment.

A healthy diet is an essential component of cancer risk reduction, treatment, and recovery.

The Dempsey Center offers several types of therapies designed to complement the medical care prescribed by your provider.

Research shows that eating well can have a positive impact on energy level, treatment outcomes, and well-being.

Dempsey Center nutrition programming is facilitated by registered dietitians who provide research-based guidelines and practical tips to help promote good nutrition habits.

To learn whether you might be a candidate for receiving complementary therapies at the Dempsey Center, call or visit our website.

Oncology Massage Therapy

Reiki

Oncology massage is the modification of massage therapy to safely work with complications of cancer and cancer treatment.

Reiki supports the body’s natural healing abilities. In a Reiki session, you will be encouraged to relax, fully clothed, as a practitioner ’s hands are lightly placed on or around you with the goal of directing energy to support your own natural healing response.

Massage may help to: •Decrease pain •Decrease anxiety •Decrease depression •Reduce stress-related muscle tension

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Acupuncture Acupuncture may help to:

Massage met my needs with every session. It helped me understand more about how stress affects different muscle groups. I definitely appreciate the services given to caregivers.

—Albert

The Dempsey Center provides both group and individual instruction on healthy eating before, during, and after cancer treatment.

Nutrition Classes + Workshops

Community Garden

Learn how certain foods and nutrients work to promote good health and to support you before, during, and after cancer treatment. You’ll also learn how to prepare quick and healthy recipes, have tasting opportunities, and get recipes to make at home.

Powered by volunteers, the Dempsey Center Community Garden provides a space for classes and workshops.

During harvest season, garden vegetables are used for nutrition classes. The surplus is given to cancer patients and their families, providing them with access to fresh, locally grown produce.

Nutrition programming at the Dempsey Center is supported in part by Hannaford Supermarkets

•Reduce nausea and vomiting after surgery and chemotherapy

Nutrition Consultations

•Increase appetite

What you eat matters!

•Support relaxation and stress management

Nutrition consultations are helpful at any stage of your cancer experience. Meet oneon-one with our registered dietitian, who can tailor information and tips to meet your specific needs.

•Reduce insomnia •Reduce neuropathy •Relieve pain

Co unseling The Dempsey Center offers short-term therapeutic counseling for individuals and families impacted by cancer. Counseling is provided by licensed psychotherapists who specialize in oncology.

Counseling services may help you: •Learn ways to cope with a cancer diagnosis and feel more in control •Explore cancer ’s impact on your body, mind, and spirit •Manage depression and anxiety •Address cancer ’s impact on relationships, intimacy, and sexuality •Cope with the challenges of caregiving •Discuss concerns about what happens after treatment ends •Deal with the stress of recurrence or of living with advanced cancer •Cope with grief and bereavement

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When I first found out I had cancer I didn’t know who to turn to.

I debated calling the Dempsey Center, but I’m not one to ask for help. That phone call was the most valuable call I have ever made.

I learned it is okay to ask for help, my toughest thing to do.

I don’t know how I would have coped without [the Dempsey Center]. I’m very glad I made that call.

—Debbie

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of survey respondents report that counseling services helped them to better understand and cope with anxiety, worries, and fear.

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S up p ort G roup s Gr ief S up p ort Le g a cy + Life Ref lections

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Support Groups

Legacy + Life Reflections

Support groups can help cancer patients and their loved ones to better manage the wide range of feelings and fears experienced before, during, and after treatment. Some research indicates that joining a cancer support group may improve both quality of life and survival. The Dempsey Center offers a wide variety of support groups for people who have been impacted by cancer. Visit our website for up-to-date information on all current support groups.

Sharing life stories, reflecting on lessons learned and values we’ve grown to hold most dear can be a powerful experience for anyone, but particularly for people living with advanced cancer. The Dempsey Center offers professionally-guided and recorded interviews, exploring themes such as life history, cherished memories, values, and lessons learned that a person wants to share with others. Interviews are recorded and edited by a filmographer and then a digital version is provided to the interviewee to be shared with loved ones.

This service is only available to clients living with advanced and/or metastatic cancer.

Grief Support The loss of a loved one is one of the most difficult human experiences and grief often involves intensely painful feelings. The Dempsey Center offers individual and group grief support.

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We received John’s Legacy and Life Reflections video and it’s simply amazing! The finished piece with John telling his story is a treasure.

—Martha

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H e a ling Tre e Yo u t h + Fa mi l y

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Planting seeds of hope for youth and families impacted by cancer.

A combination of communication, education, and emotional support help to promote healthy coping among children and teens impacted by cancer. Healing Tree services address these important elements to create an individualized support plan for each family.

Healing Tree Introductions A Healing Tree Introduction acquaints young people with the Center and allows them to become familiar with program staff prior to registering for other services. This time provides individualized care by getting to know you, your children, and your family better.

Peer Support Peer support can be very meaningful for children and teens trying to find connection as they navigate the oftenisolating experience of being impacted by cancer. Healing Tree offers several peer support opportunities for children and teens in the form of youthfocused support groups, family nights, and therapeutic adventure programs.

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Now that I know what my mom’s treatment is really like I’m going to tell her not to be scared about it.

—Malcom, age 8, after attending Cancer 101 educational program

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Education, Guidance + Support Healing Tree counselors are trained professionals in the areas of child and adolescent development, family dynamics, and parenting through cancer.

The Healing Tree supports existing family relationships, reinforcing trust and open communication. Individual, family, and parent-child counseling are available as well as educational workshops to teach children about complex medical concepts like chemotherapy and radiation in a way they can understand.

Therapeutic Adventure Programs Adventure Based Therapies have been shown to promote resiliency and selfesteem and to decrease feelings of isolation.

The Dempsey Center offers Teen Adventure Days and Space to Breathe, a five-day Adventure Based Therapy camp for adolescents impacted by a parent or sibling’s cancer diagnosis. These programs offer teens an opportunity to take a break from the stressors at home while adventuring in the great outdoors, forging powerful friendships, and sharing experiences with others who really get it.

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After talking to others, I realized that I am not alone in the way that I’m feeling.

—Mason, age 17, Space to Breathe participant

Getting Started

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To connect with the Healing Tree program, call 877.336.7287 and ask to speak with the youth and family services manager.

Move m e nt + F it n e ss Recent research has shown that exercise is not only safe and possible during cancer treatment, but it can also improve how well you function physically and your overall quality of life.

Regular exercise during and beyond cancer treatment can help to:

•Improve sleep

Movement + Fitness classes and workshops are designed to meet the needs of cancer patients, survivors, and caregivers. Instructors provide individual attention and adaptations that will help you safely improve your strength and stamina.

•Improve immune system function

Fitness consultations are also available by appointment.

•Lessen symptoms of cancer-related fatigue •Lower the risk of anxiety and depression

Med itation + Min d f u ln ess

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Meditation is a tool that anyone can learn. It has the potential to lessen the impact, both physical and emotional, that cancer and cancer treatment have on our lives.

•Improve balance and reduce risk of falls •Improve range of motion and flexibility.

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This class was a good introduction to meditation which I had read about but had no personal experience with.

It brought me back to the importance of daily quiet time and helped me be mindful while going about my day.

—Anne

Practicing meditation on a regular basis has been shown to: •Help manage pain, fatigue, and stress •Improve resilience during difficult times •Increase focus, memory, and attention •Improve immune function •Reduce sleeping difficulties

C l a ss es + Wo r ks h o ps The Dempsey Center provides a variety of classes and workshops that can help you manage your cancer experience, enhancing your overall wellness before, during, and after cancer treatment.

Regular monthly classes include Fatigue Factor and What Now. Visit the Dempsey Center website for a complete listing of all educational opportunities.

What Now? Finding Your Way When Cancer Treatment Ends When cancer treatment ends you may feel lost, asking What Now? This monthly class, led by a licensed social worker, will give you information about common concerns and practical tips for adjusting to your new normal.

Le nding L ibrar y Come in and browse our books, DVDs, and pamphlets on cancer-related topics. Our library includes sections on nutrition and healthy eating, complementary therapies, autobiographies, and books specifically for young people and their families. Borrowing books is free and easy.

Fatigue Factor Fatigue Factor provides information and support to help you better understand and cope with cancer-related fatigue. This class teaches you to recognize cancerrelated fatigue, strategies to conserve and maximize your energy, ways to communicate about your fatigue, and where to find resources.

Statewid e Prog ra ms

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Maine Cancer Mentors

Cancer Resource Navigation

Connecting Patients and Survivors

Finding your way through a cancer experience can be overwhelming. No matter where you live in Maine, the Dempsey Center offers personalized navigation to help you find answers to your questions and connect you to resources that will help reduce the burden of cancer on you and your family.

If you’re facing a new cancer diagnosis or recurrence, Maine Cancer Mentors can help.

This telephone-based peer support program can connect you with a trained volunteer mentor who has faced a similar cancer experience— someone who can understand what you’re going through.

•Financial assistance programs

Maine Cancer Mentors can:

•Support groups

We can help you find:

•Talk through concerns, discuss resources, and provide reassurance

•Lodging and transportation

•Share their own cancer experiences and coping strategies with you, without giving advice

•Quitting tobacco and other harm reduction activities

•Provide reassurance and encouragement from someone who’s been there

Want to talk with a mentor? To get connected, call 877.336.7287 or visit DempseyCenter.org/ cancer-mentors.

•Wigs and hairpieces

Get connected today by visiting our website or calling us at 877.336.7287.

Get Involve d

Fund ing O ur Work

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Dempsey Center Volunteers

All services are provided at no cost to anyone, at any time.

If you’re looking for a way to support our work, consider becoming a Dempsey Center volunteer.

While we do not charge for our services, if you wish to give back there are several ways to do so:

Open volunteer positions are posted at DempseyCenter.org.

Center volunteers assist in the delivery of services, operations, and administrative functions.

We have a variety of interesting and meaningful volunteer opportunities.

Make a one-time or monthly donation through our Annual Fund campaign. Don’t forget to see if your employer will match your charitable gift!

Make a gift in memory or honor of a loved one.

Dempsey Challenge Volunteers

Consider making a gift to the Dempsey Center in your will.

It takes hundreds of volunteers to ensure that the Dempsey Challenge is a fun, safe and successful event.

Participate in the Dempsey Challenge.

DempseyChallenge.org

Maine Cancer Mentors If you are a cancer survivor and you would like to give back, consider becoming a trained volunteer mentor with Maine Cancer Mentors.

To learn more, call 877.336.7287 or email info@dempseycenter.org.

DempseyCenter.org

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Just walking through the doors of the Dempsey Center gave me that sense of warmth and belonging. For many it will be one more path to wellness without a price tag attached to it!

It certainly cemented my need to participate and volunteer in the Dempsey Challenge for years to come so I could support this important endeavor in some small way.

—Karen

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Making life better for people managing the impact of cancer

C O N T A C T 877.336.7287 DempseyCenter.org info@dempseycenter.org Facebook: @DempseyCenter Instagram: @dempsey_center

L E W I S T O N

S O U T H

P O R T L A N D

29 Lowell Street Lewiston, ME 04240

778 Main Street South Portland, ME 04106