Patrick Dempsey Center For Cancer Hope & Healing and Dempsey Challenge
In 1997, Dempsey's mother was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Her cancer has relapsed five times over the past fifteen years. In response to his mother's bouts with cancer, Dempsey helped start the Patrick Dempsey Center at Central Maine Medical Center in his home town of Lewiston, Maine. In October 2009 when Dempsey introduced the first Dempsey Challenge, registration was closed after reaching the goal of 3,500 cyclists, runners and walkers. The event raised more than $1 million for the cancer center. His mother was in the crowd as Dempsey finished his 50-mile ride. The Challenge has since become an annual October event presented by Amgen in the Lewiston–Auburn area.
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