fulfilling end-of-life ‘dreams’ that offer inspiration, comfort and closure

Searsport oncology patient receives ‘Dream’ family getaway

Fri, 12/20/2019 - 4:45pm

BELFAST — Waldo County General Hospital recently hosted the Dream Foundation as it presented a weekend getaway to Searsport resident David Fyfe, a patient in the Oncology and Infusion department.

“This is amazing,” said the Searsport resident, in a news release, while sitting next to his sister, Charlene Fyfe, during the presentation. “I haven’t been away in so long. I never would have been able to do this on my own.”

The Dream Foundation serves terminally ill adults and their families by fulfilling end-of-life ‘dreams’ that offer inspiration, comfort and closure. Over the past two decades, the foundation has provided this kind of support to more than 30,000 terminally ill adults and their families.

Fyfe, 57, has been undergoing treatment for myelofibrosis, an uncommon type of bone marrow cancer that disrupts the body’s normal production of blood cells. 

Claudia Hill, LCSW and oncology social worker, worked with Fyfe to fill out the Dream Foundation application after she learned of his desire to go to Cape Cod one last time. He had fond memories of vacationing there with his family when he was growing up.

In the end, David decided Cape Cod was too far to travel. Instead, he spent a fall weekend at Wells Beach with his sister, Charlene, and father, Steven Fyfe. The Dream Foundation provided gift cards for meals, a ticket for a four-hour fishing charter and hotel rooms.

“Just being together as a family at the beach was so wonderful,” Fyfe said. “We needed the time together.”

Four representatives of Genentech, a company that makes oncology and infusion medications, presented the Dream Foundation package during the gathering in the Oncology and Infusion department at WCGH. The San Francisco-based Genentech is a corporate sponsor of the Dream Foundation.