OLD TOWN — Cancer is no stranger to Gert Nesin of Old Town. The eighth-grade teacher lost her father and older sister to the disease. Another sister is a breast cancer survivor. Gert herself always feared the diagnosis, so when she was told that she had an aggressive form of breast cancer, she went through the roller coaster of emotions.
After diagnosis in August 2013, Nesin wrote a letter to the families of her incoming students at Leonard Middle School, outlining her diagnosis, treatment and her plan for them. In response, the students and their families organized a dinner and raffle to benefit her, raising more than $8,000. Nesin negotiated with the students, agreeing that she would keep a percentage of the money raised, and the rest would be donated to a cancer charity. They chose EMMC Champion the Cure Challenge, an annual event that benefits research at Eastern Maine Medical Center Cancer Care.
The students created a team, naming it GertStrong in her honor. They recruited team members, eventually growing to 46 participants who raised nearly $10,500. Nesin joined the EMMC Champion the Cure Challenge leadership team, volunteering her time whenever she was needed.
This year, Nesin and her colleague, Shianne Priest, created a team with their middle school students, RUSH for a Cure. RUSH is an acronym — Remember, Uplift, Support Honor.
The students have worked throughout the year to raise money. They have been creative in their fundraisers, choosing those they think donors will find meaningful. One of their most successful projects was the creation of a community quilt. The students sold quilt squares throughout Old Town. Buyers decorated the squares in tribute to loved ones who have faced cancer. The quilt is currently on display at EMMC Cancer Care in the Lafayette Family Cancer Center building in Brewer.
Today, RUSH for a Cure boasts 61 members and has raised more than $10,000, bringing the group’s two-year fundraising total to more than $20,000.
Because of the advanced care offered at Eastern Maine Medical Center Cancer Care, Nesin was able to stay home during her 15 months of treatment.
“Help, care and comfort were never far away,” Nesin said. “I never felt my care was compromised by receiving local care. As a matter of fact, I truly believe the care here is the best.”
EMMC Champion the Cure Challenge benefits local cancer research, allowing patients in the Bangor region to stay close to home, supporting new and promising treatments that will benefit local patients and contribute to the global fights against cancer. Nesin was the beneficiary of the results of a clinical trial, receiving a treatment that gave her a better long-term prognosis.
“To make a difference for people who have cancer now and those who will in the future, research matters more than anything,” Nesin said, explaining her commitment to the cause.
More than 3,000 participants and volunteers will take the Challenge on Saturday, August 15 at EMMC Cancer Care in Brewer. The event features a 1K family fun walk, 5K and 10K walk/run, 25, 50, and 100-mile bicycle ride, and a 50-mile motorcycle ride. A cancer survivor celebration will begin at noon. (Motorcycle ride will take place on Friday, August 14.) Registration is still open at ctcchallenge.org or by calling 207.973.5055.
For information, call Elizabeth Martin at 973-9633.