By Barbara Scott
Staff Writer
The Cary Medical Center Auxiliary recently made a donation of $100,000 to the hospital to assist with the purchase of a new, state-of-the-art digital mammography instrument. The Auxiliary presented the donation in December from proceeds from the group’s annual Breast Cancer Awareness “Walk for Care.”
Contributed photo
Members of the Cary Medical Center Auxiliary recently presented a $100,000 donation to the hospital to assist with the purchase of a digital mammography instrument. The donation was made available through money raised through the Breast Cancer Awareness “Walk for Care,” the Auxiliary’s largest annual fundraiser. Witnessing the presentation of the donation were Cary Medical staff and Auxiliary members including Margaret Cyr, Dot Wakem, Joanne Cyr, Eloise Penny, Kris Doody, R.N. and Cary CEO; Roberta Walton, Shawn Laferriere, M.D.; Betty Walker, Lee St. Peter, Allyson Masse, Barb Collins, April Caron, Mary Harrigan, Gail Michaud and Andrea Gallagher.
According to Kris Doody, R.N. and Cary Medical Center CEO, the Auxiliary has a long history of providing financial support to the hospital. “For more than 50 years the auxiliary has been providing outstanding support to assist the hospital in fulfilling its caring mission,” said Doody, who accepted the donation along with Cary’s Chief of Radiology, Shawn Laferriere, M.D. “No single organization has done more for the hospital over our history than the Auxiliary and we are so very grateful for their remarkable contributions,” Doody added.
The annual Walk for Care, which will mark its 20th year in October, is the major fund-raising event sponsored by the hospital Auxiliary. Each year more than 100 area residents collect pledges for the walk which is designed to advance awareness of breast cancer and the importance of early diagnosis and treatment.
Kim Parent, president of the Cary Auxiliary said that those who have participated in the walk over the past 20 years have helped to make a difference in the healthcare for women in Aroostook County.
“Each person who has made the effort to collect pledges and to join in this walk can feel a part of this new advancement in the diagnosis of breast cancer,” said Parent, who is also a public relations generalist at Cary Medical Center. “Members of the hospital Auxiliary have volunteered hundred of hours over these past 20 years to build upon the success of our walk and the results have been most impressive,” said Parent.
The $100,000 donation made by the Auxiliary will go towards the purchase of a new digital mammography instrument and other related technology that will ultimately cost an estimated $250,000. Cary’s board of directors approved the purchase of the equipment at its December meeting along with a renovation project that will create a new Women’s Imaging Center.
Shawn Anderson, chief operating officer at Cary said that the support of the Cary Auxiliary was critical in moving the project forward. “The technology we are purchasing comes at a considerable price,” said Anderson who helped select the new equipment. “This donation from the Auxiliary along with their ongoing support was a major factor in our ability to seek out the most advanced equipment and to design a new center that will take our women’s imaging services to an entirely new level,” he added.
The hospital is planning a fund-raising campaign to support the renovations necessary to house the new mammography equipment. Those wishing to donate to the campaign are asked to contact Mary Harrigan, executive director of the Jefferson Cary Foundation.
