At Spectrum Healthcare Partners, we believe giving back is the best way to move forward. Corporate social responsibility is central to our mission, positively impacting the people we care for and the places we call home. In addition to Spectrum’s contributions at an organizational level, we also celebrate our team members who participate in community efforts. In this spotlight, we focus on two Spectrum employees who have made a meaningful impact, both locally and globally.
Dr. Ritchie’s Service Trip to Bangladesh
Jeannine Ritchie, MD, Spectrum pathologist and chief of pathology and laboratory medicine at Exeter Hospital, never envisioned herself taking a service trip outside the United States. “I’m not very adventurous, and I tend to avoid risks,” she admits. However, Dr. Ritchie ventured outside her comfort zone when her colleague, Bimalangshu Dey II, MD—founder of the DeyLight Foundation— extended an invitation. In May 2024, she joined the foundation’s service mission abroad.
Dr. Dey and his team at the DeyLight Foundation have transformed healthcare in Bangladesh since 2008, establishing the country’s first bone marrow transplant unit, training healthcare professionals, and advocating for palliative care. On this service trip, Dr. Ritchie shared her expertise on common tumors like breast cancer and melanoma and introduced a collaborative cancer care model inspired by Exeter Hospital’s tumor board system.
“Our tumor boards bring together specialists from various disciplines, including pathologists, radiologists, radiation and medical oncologists, surgeons, and ancillary staff like physical and speech therapists,” Dr. Ritchie explains. “As a group, we review the available information and collaborate to determine the best treatment plan for the patient, aiming for the best possible outcome. On this trip, we wanted to help physicians in Bangladesh establish a similar collaborative approach.”
The work took place against a robust cultural backdrop. “The food was delicious, the clothing was vibrant, and the community was incredibly welcoming,” Dr. Ritchie reflects. The connections with these new people paved the way for a lasting impact beyond the trip itself. “Our healthcare systems may be different, but that opens up valuable learning opportunities for everyone, helping us improve and work more collaboratively,” she adds. “Trips like this are about opening doors to new ideas and finding solutions together.”
Dr. Ritchie still feels the impact of this trip on her life. “I had so many new experiences—meeting new people, exploring different places, trying new foods, and stepping out of my normal life by speaking at massive conferences, which isn’t something I typically do,” she reflects. “The trip opened my eyes, showing me I’m capable of more than I thought and can love things I once feared. I hope to make an even greater impact on future trips by helping doctors in Bangladesh further develop collaborative cancer care systems.”
Anne Bergeron’s Susan G. Komen 3-Day® Experience
On August 23, 2024, Anne Bergeron, director of talent acquisition at Spectrum, took her first steps in the 60-mile Susan G. Komen 3-Day® walk through the Boston area. “My friend Ashley lost her sister to breast cancer on September 26, 2023,” Bergeron shares. “Ashley, her cousin Kayla, our friend Whitney, and I wanted to do something to honor her memory. Raising money and participating in this walk felt like the perfect way to do that.”
The walk began with a sense of purpose. “That first day was incredibly inspiring,” Bergeron recalls. “We gathered in the hotel ballroom, listening to powerful speeches from survivors and those who had lost loved ones. With such a large group, we left in waves, each cheered on by staff, friends, and family as we set out.”
That cheering continued along the route, with heartfelt support from the Boston community every step of the way. “At the end of the second day, we gathered for an emotional honors ceremony to remember those lost to breast cancer,” says Bergeron. “Each of us received a white paper bag to write messages or names, and then we placed battery-operated candles inside. Together, we lined them up on the stage in tribute.”
The 60-mile journey was more than a physical challenge. “No matter how tough the walk got, I knew it was nothing compared to what those battling breast cancer face,” says Bergeron. “I thought about my grandmother, who had breast cancer, and my college roommate, who completed her treatment. But I kept coming back to Ashley’s sister as I walked—especially the loss her two young kids and family now live with. This walk was hard, but breast cancer is harder.”
Those stories inspired each step. “The community was amazing, and everyone we met had a story,” says Bergeron. “We walked and stayed together as a team the entire time. We laughed, we cried, and we cheered each other on. It was an overwhelming experience but we felt completely supported.”
“Every 12 minutes, a woman in the U.S. loses her life to breast cancer. About 75 percent of the raised funds stay within the local community, going toward outreach programs, education, screenings, and treatment,” Bergeron explains.
“I exceeded my fundraising goal, with our team raising nearly $13,000. Asking for donations is never easy, but I’m thankful to my generous family and colleagues who helped me reach that goal for a cause close to my heart and our community.”
Spectrum’s Community Commitment
In 2024, Spectrum Healthcare Partners contributed $630,966 to over 50 organizations across Maine and New Hampshire.
Beyond supporting hospitals and healthcare providers, Spectrum extends its reach to a wide variety of charitable organizations focused on education, health, well-being, and community development. Some of these organizations include The Children’s Museum & Theatre of Maine, the Dempsey Challenge, The Ecology School, Make-A-Wish, the American Heart Association, United Way of Greater Portland, the YMCA of Southern Maine, and many others.
Giving back to the community has long been at the core of Spectrum’s mission. Physicians and staff contribute to the community in the form of charity/free care, reduced payments for services, financial gifts to community organizations, and volunteerism.
As Dr. Ritchie and Anne Bergeron have found, joining Spectrum means being part of an organizational culture that values just how interconnected we are, locally and globally. It’s one thing to say those words; it’s another thing to translate those values into supporting personnel in their own growth and community service.
