Mary’s Firemen for a Cure, Dempsey Center announce partnership

Mary’s Firemen for a Cure and the Dempsey Center kicked off a new partnership April 14 with a check presentation ceremony from the proceeds from the 2023 ski race, held Feb. 25 at Lost Valley in Auburn. From left are Deneka Deletesky, Karen Page, Wayne Allen, Laurie Allen and Dave Soutter. Submitted photo

LEWISTON — Mary’s Firemen for a Cure and the Dempsey Center has announced that the Dempsey Center will now receive all proceeds from the annual Mary’s Firemen for a Cure memorial ski race.

The two organizations kicked off the new partnership April 14, with a check presentation ceremony from the proceeds from the 2023 ski race, held Feb. 25 at Lost Valley in Auburn.

The Mary’s Firemen donation will fund the Dempsey Center’s Women’s Support Group, which supports those who have been affected by breast cancer and other types of cancer. The organizers for Mary’s Firemen partnered with the Dempsey Center to fund this program because of the center’s commitment to provide support services to those fighting cancer.

In 2004, Mary and Wayne Allen started “Firemen for a Cure” at Shawnee Peak in Bridgton to give firefighters the opportunity to raise awareness about breast cancer, their families, and support systems, according to a news release from Dave Soutter, Mary’s son and race organizer.

Mary was a long-time employee at Shawnee Peak and had been fighting breast cancer for nearly 10 years. Wayne is a volunteer firefighter in North Bridgton. Although Mary lost her battle in 2005, Wayne and her three adult-children, Christine, David and Ryan Soutter, renamed the event, “Mary’s Firemen for a Cure” in 2006 and have been holding the event in memory of Mary.

The Dempsey Center was founded by actor Patrick Dempsey in 2008. After his mother’s cancer diagnosis and subsequent journey, Patrick and his family set out to provide a haven of support for people impacted by cancer in his hometown of Lewiston.

Today, the Dempsey Center provides nutrition consultations and workshops, movement and fitness classes, one-on-one counseling, support groups, complementary therapies and educational workshops at no-cost to people impacted by cancer. Services are offered at offices in Lewiston and South Portland, and virtually via Dempsey Connects, and are open to patients, care partners, family members and friends.

The Mary’s Firemen for a Cure ski race features teams of four firefighters from local fire departments who race down a modified slalom course in full turnout gear and carrying a 50-foot length of hose. Since its inception, Mary’s Firemen has raised more than $320,000 to raise awareness and to help breast cancer patients in Maine fight the disease.

During the ceremony, organizers Wayne and Laurie Allen and Dave Soutter presented a check for $13,500 to Karen Page at the Dempsey Center.