Gary sent this note out to past supporters yesterday...as you saw in the previous posts, the care we received from Hospice was exemplary and did so much to help Mark and the entire family realize his wishes of dying at home.
Thanks all for your continued support and well wishes, it means so much to all of us...
Dear Friends, Supporters and Colleagues:
Thank you for your past support, to date you have helped me raise over $15,000 to help find a cure for cancer…the battle for a cure continues and I cannot thank you enough for your kind words and generosity in helping me with something which has tremendous personal meaning.
There is a time with some incidences of cancer when a cure is no longer possible, when comfort and love is all that is left before death. This is a difficult struggle for many people and families and as many of you know it is one my family went through this year as we lost my dad to cancer at the young age of 61 in April. We knew that there was nothing left to do; he had four alternately wonderful and painful years after he was diagnosed, but the dawn of 2010 brought with it the reality that he would likely not see another year.
At the end cancer is a very dark and insidious disease and it is very trying for the entire family unit who goes through it. We were fortunate to have the help of a local agency, Hospice and Palliative Care of Cape Cod, to deal with the numerous clinical care issues and allow my dad to die at home – and even to spend a few nights in their beautiful facility, The McCarthy Care Center, where they were able to stabilize some of his pain and get him home where he wanted to be.
The work done by hospice agencies allows patients to choose their own path in death; when that moment comes when there is no fighting left to do they are there to provide care and comfort and an amazingly beautiful and compassionate manner – in whatever way you want them to.
This year, in honor of my dad, I will be raising funds for Hospice and Palliative Care of Cape Cod through the Last Gasp cycling event, a one day 62 mile ride from Sandwich to Provincetown. I have participated in the event the past two years and donated the money myself, this year I want to make a big push to support this agency which did so much to support us during a difficult period. I continue to support the work done by the PMC and plan on rejoining the event in 2011, but this agency deserves and needs our support right now, and after I saw what I saw this year I can tell you they are tremendously deserving of that support and it will go towards providing services and care to many more patients at the end of life.
Please join me in helping this wonderful local non-profit agency that has done so much to help my family, along with our neighbors and friends in need by sending a check made out to, “The Last Gasp” to;
Cape Medical Supply, Inc.
ATTN: GARY SHEEHAN/LAST GASP
28 Jan Sebastian Drive
Sandwich, MA 02563
Alternatively you can make a credit card donation online through a secure site, by proceeding to the following address; http://www.
Select "Donation to a Rider" from the drop down list and follow the prompts from there.
For more information on The Last Gasp, please visit; http://www.thelastgasp.com/
For more information on Hospice and Palliative Care of Cape Cod, please visit;http://www.hospicecapecod.org
Additionally we have started a foundation in my dad’s honor, for more information on the foundation please visit, http://www.capemedical.
Thank you for your consideration and support, it is tremendously meaningful and will go a long way towards ensuring more people receive the wonderful care, support and service that this agency delivers.
Gary
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