Our Maine Street's Aroostook Issue 14 : Fall 2012 | Page 23

cancer treatment.

The local support group meets the first and third
Thursday of every month from 5 – 7 p.m. in the Cary
Medical Center Chan Center. There are currently nine
active support group members who have become as
passionate as Zell about connecting women to resources,
so much so, that six members were able to attend the
American Cancer Society’s “Reach to Recovery” volunteer
training in Bar Harbor in September. “Reach to Recovery”
volunteers are breast cancer survivors who are available
24/7 to connect with newly diagnosed patients who need
to talk about their fears and ask questions of someone who
has survived breast cancer.

“If I can help someone by telling my story and what
I learned from my experience, that’s what I want to do,”
Anne said. Some of her advice…“talk to your family so
you can face the cancer together, and if you have questions,
ask them even if you think they’re minor. People really do
care, so take the help they offer you because there are just
days when you’ll need it.”

“My daughters were scared and had a hard
time when I lost my hair while I was going through my
treatments. And not all kids react the same; you have to
help each one deal with it in their own way. My oldest
daughter and her boyfriend, and my friend’s son, who’s
like my own son…well, they all took part in shaving my
head for me when my hair started falling out. I can’t tell
you how that made me feel,” Anne continued.

“Although our grant funding has essentially run
out, we’re determined to keep the Pink Aroostook project
going,” Zell explained. “We’ve held several fundraiser
events and will re-apply to the Susan G. Komen Foundation
for funding in 2013. The ladies in my support group are
incredible women, and we’re so excited about having
established ‘Reach to Recovery’ volunteers in Aroostook
County. This area was really lacking. The American Cancer
Society really tries to match survivors up by age, location,
type of breast cancer and treatments they have undergone
so this will provide more local resources for the women
who call in to the American Cancer Society’s hotline. We
will also be partnering closely with Kim Wilcox, the Breast
Health Navigator at the new Women’s Imaging Center at
Cary so that we can be there as a resource for women right
from the time of their diagnosis if they choose.”

“We are in this fight against breast cancer
together,” Anne concluded. “When I lost my hair I tried
several wigs and found that they just weren’t for me, so
I wore beanie hats. When I was preparing for surgery to
have my port put in, one of the surgical nurses heard me
say I liked the beanie that she was wearing and before I
knew it, she handed me 5 beanies that someone had made
for her. A very dear friend of mine was recently diagnosed
with cancer, so I passed my beanies on to her. Caring and
sharing…that’s what it’s all about.”
For more information about Pink Aroostook, and the
Breast Cancer Support Group, please call Pink Aroostook
Coordinator Bethany Zell at 551-4284, or visit their website
page at pinkaroostook.org; or on Facebook.
FALL 2012

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