Spectrum’s core tenets include caring not only for patients, but also the broader communities we serve. Although our philanthropic efforts span a wide range of charitable organizations, many of our partnerships are with groups that focus on some aspect of improving healthcare, such as Maine Cancer Foundation. Spectrum has been a supporter of Maine Cancer Foundation since its inception 16 years ago.
Maine Cancer Foundation leads a statewide effort to promote and support the most promising and effective cancer-fighting programs available to the people of Maine through a combination of grant-based financial support and coalition building.
Cancer rates in Maine are significantly higher than the national average and the worst in New England. Not only is cancer the leading cause of death in Maine, one in three individuals will receive a cancer diagnosis in their lifetime. There has been some progress: cancer rates have declined nearly 13 percent from an all-time high in 2000, but Maine continues to lag behind improvements seen in other states.
Maine Cancer Foundation is committed to addressing health inequities, ensuring all Mainers have access to critical cancer prevention, screening, and treatment resources. Proposals that address social determinants of health are prioritized.
Tri For A Cure
Founded in 2008, the Tri for a Cure has become the largest fundraising triathlon in the state of Maine, providing a gorgeous racecourse along the shores of Cape Elizabeth and South Portland. This event consists of a USAT-sanctioned 1/3-mile swim, a 15-mile bike ride and a three-mile run.
Each year, over 1,300 women gather to participate in Maine Cancer Foundation’s Tri for a Cure. Thanks to the efforts of thousands of supporters, the Tri for a Cure has raised almost $22 million for Maine
Cancer Foundation, every dollar of which has been reinvested into Maine communities for cancer prevention, early detection, and access to care. Today, thanks to the efforts of thousands of supporters, there are effective treatments for many forms of cancer with the promise of more to come.
Spectrum’s Community Commitment
In 2023, Spectrum contributed $763,301 to more than 50 organizations across Maine and New Hampshire. In addition to hospitals and other provider entities, Spectrum also supports a wide variety of charitable organizations who focus on education, health and wellbeing, and community development. Examples include The Children’s Museum & Theatre of Maine, Dempsey Challenge, The Ecology School, Make-A-Wish, American Heart Association, United Way of Greater Portland, YMCA of Southern Maine, and many more.
Community Support Through Direct Care
Of course, Spectrum works directly to improve health and quality of life in our communities through caring for patients — including making sure fewer people slip through the cracks due to inadequate or non-existent health insurance. We are proud to have provided 1,762,657 different services to 569,143 patients in 2023. In the process, Spectrum’s various healthcare divisions provided $1,535,323 worth of free care in Maine and New Hampshire.
It’s just one more way of affirming the value of each person in this interconnected web of community, and highlights Spectrum’s position to have meaningful, beneficial impact on such a closely-knit region. Spectrum providers often note that the benefits go both ways.
Says Christopher Lonegan, DO, “It’s a moving experience to be able to practice as an orthopedic physician and treat patients in the communities where I grew up actively training and participating in sports. I love Maine and I love Mainers. I simply can’t think of a place I’d rather practice.”
