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| Charlene Dumais (Right) - Survivor/ Inspiration & Paws Director |
At the very young age of 31, Charlene was diagnosed in September 2010 with a radical and aggressive form of cancer known as Triple Negative Breast Cancer. She soon found that treatment came at a significant physical, emotional, and financial expense. Thankfully, Charlene's wonderful team of doctors and nurses have placed her on the right path to hope and healing. Her medical team concluded that the best treatment option was five months of chemotherapy followed by bilateral mastectomy, six weeks of proton radiation therapy and a vaccine clinical trial. Charlene received chemotherapy treatments at the Dana-Farber/ Brigham & Women’s Cancer Center at Faulkner Hospital and specialized proton radiation therapy was performed at Massachusetts General Hospital. At this time, no additional standard treatment options are available for triple negative breast cancers. Therefore, Charlene participated in and completed a cutting-edge clinical trial at Dana-Farber’s, Yawkey Center for Cancer Care, in Boston Massachusetts.
Charlene’s passion for animals included working at Animal Shelter Inc. of Sterling for over 7 years. Where she often fostered and nurtured homeless, abused, and abandoned animals in her own home. A "mom" to several “special needs” animals herself, she is currently employed as a surgical veterinary technician at VCA Northboro Animal Hospital. Charlene has always and continues to aspire to attend Tufts University to become a veterinarian. She is known to all as a wonderful friend, sister, daughter, caregiver, pet sitter, family pet “nurse”, and an overall caring and sweet person. In her spare time, Charlene likes to ride horses, read, garden, try her hand at photography, and dote on her pets, Ginger, Lizzie and Baby. Charlene's passion for animals, the "Paws" in her life, as well as in the lives of those that love her, ultimately led to the name “Paws For The Cause”.
Paws For The Cause Inc., a non-profit charitable organization, inspired by Charlene, was formed in late November 2010. The organization is dedicated to continuing the successful fundraising events, which were originally designed for “Team Charlene”. We are also looking forward to adding several exciting events in the near future.
The "Paws Team" is a dedicated group of volunteers composed of professionals, family, and friends from Massachusetts whose goal is to take the financial burden out of the equation for those fighting for survival from breast cancer. Future funds raised will be donated to cancer research facilities as well as qualifying individuals and families to assist with the financial burden cancer can bring about. These costs can include, but are not limited to, medical bills, travel expenses, palliative care, child care and general home bills.
Paws For The Cause’s mission is to promote Cancer awareness in the community, to raise funds to help find a cure for Cancer, and to provide monetary support for individuals and families facing financial burdens associated with Cancer treatment.
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Dan Dumais - Paws President
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Mike Oleksak - Paws Treasurer
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Rebecca Clark - Paws Clerk
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Melissa Dudley - Paws Director
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Kristina Oleksak - Paws Director
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Email: pawsforthecauseinc@gmail.com
Website: www.pawsforthecauseinc.org
Twitter: @PetsGivingBack
Facebook: Paws For The Cause, Inc.
