PEOPLE AND PLACES
DEBRA VASAPOLLI DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY AND PUBLIC RELATIONS AT EXETER HEALTH RESOURCE
Debra Vasapolli and her team are preparing for the 10th Annual Kites Against Cancer event at Hampton Beach, happening Sunday, May 20, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., when people will gather to fly kites in honor of loved ones who have been lost to the disease.
What can you tell me about this event’s decade-long run? This event was actually started by a woman from Hampton named AnneMarie Viviano. She was a breast cancer patient here at Exeter Hospital and she had the vision of what’s called the Beyond the Rainbow Fund. It’s a fund that supports people with expenses outside of what would normally be covered by insurance while they are undergoing treatment for cancer. So that might be paying their rent, paying utilities, buying groceries, transportation. ... Kites Against Cancer was originally, when she had the first event, a fundraiser for that Beyond the Rainbow Fund. Anne-Marie unfortunately passed away from her cancer and the hospital, with the help of her sister Carrie Shaw, took over the event 10 years ago, and we’ve been holding the event annually ever since at Hampton Beach.
What is the atmosphere like on the day the kites fly? It’s about celebrating survivors, families and loved ones who have been lost to cancer. It’s really about celebration of life. It’s become a very family-oriented event; we have face painting and raffles and refreshments. We have the kite flying of course and then we have different activities likes Zumba on the beach.
What was that first event like after Anne-Marie passed? I originally met with Carrie Shaw after her sister’s passing and we talked about transitioning the Beyond the Rainbow Fund to Exeter Hospital. One of the ways we could support that fund was by reinstating Kites Against Cancer, so we stuck with the name and started that 10 years ago. We really built upon what Anne-Marie had done originally. We were fortunate; we still had people
there. They tape who remembered interviews with the first event people about what and we just wantbrings them to ed to enhance it. this event. That’s Even at that time, a really powerful we were trying to opportunity. do things like raffles. It was much Who is out there smaller at that flying these kites? time. It’s grown All ages. There’s into a very large lot of young kids event that is realflying kites but ly well-recognized people of all ages in the communiare out there flying ty so we get a lot kites in rememof student support, brance. It’s usually we get a lot from just a sea of kites people who come every year to hon- Images from Kites Against Cancer. Courtesy photos. in the air so it’s really beautiful. or members of their families. And some people use it as a It’s about celebration, it’s about being memorial service for their loved ones. together as a community and honoring So they join us again every year in May. those that are survivors and those that we have lost. How has cancer affected your life? What kinds of kites are used and what I think most people have been affected one way or another. My family has are some of the different designs you’ve had our own losses as well, through fam- seen? There’s rainbow-colored kits and some ily, friends, loved ones. I’m usually there working the event so my daughter has the solid types that people can decorate. So pleasure of flying kites and being part of there’s white, red, blue, green. But then that. … It’s really powerful to see com- we have a rainbow kite that has all of
If someone hasn’t been affected by cancer, can they still attend the event? Oh my goodness, absolutely. The event is free, [and] it’s right there at Hampton Beach in the pavilion. … There’s a lot for people to participate in beyond just flying the kites. In addition to raising money, how does this event help? It has traditionally been a fundraiser for the Beyond the Rainbow fund but this year it is transitioning slightly in that it’s not necessarily a fundraiser as much as it is about a community event and celebration. Celebrating our survivors and celebrating our families and celebrating our community. So if there are any net proceeds then they certainly would go to the center for cancer care or the Beyond the Rainbow Fund. But we are starting to transition it to much more of a community-based survivorship event. How has it changed in the last 10 years? It’s grown tremendously and it’s become a much more recognized event so we have great turnout and tremendous support from community partners. The kites are sold throughout the community and we have a lot of support from different organizations that sell the kites and schools that send kids that are doing volunteer activities. We have donors that come on board to support the event. What are you most excited about for this year’s Kites Against Cancer? We are excited to have a special recognition of survivors. A special celebration for survivors.
munity members come and they write names of their loved ones on the kite and they fly it. We also have a collaboration with Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center so they are on site as well and have their Everyday Amazing band
the colors on it so it’s kind of symbolic of the Beyond the Rainbow Fund. Kids draw on it with marker and put the loved one’s name on it and some of the kids decorate the kites, which is fantastic.
Are you from the Seacoast originally? I’m not originally from the Seacoast but I’ve been here for 20 years. I’ve been working with Exeter Health Resources for 12 of those years with community relations and public relations so I’m really excited to be part of such a community-based event. When you are not working what do you like to do for fun? Yoga! — Ethan Hogan SEACOAST SCENE | MAY 17 - 23, 2018 | PAGE 17