Proceeds to Benefit Day Kimball Hospital Cancer Center

The ninth annual Paddle for a Cure will be held rain or shine on Sunday, June 9 at Riverside Park in Brooklyn, beginning at 10 a.m.

Paddle for a Cure is a kayaking event founded and organized by Northeast Connecticut native Lance Collins, an avid kayaker who has lost several family members to cancer. The passing of his uncle in 2010 prompted Collins to organize the first Paddle for a Cure in 2011. The annual event has now raised more than $74,000 in total for the Rose Bove LaRose Cancer Center at Day Kimball Hospital.

“This event came to fruition as I sat by and helplessly watched loved ones lose their precious lives to cancer,” said Collins. “After losing three uncles, a grandmother, and a grandfather, I decided it was time to make a difference. I combined my passion for kayaking with my desire to contribute to a local organization and make a difference in someone’s life. Thus, the creation of the Paddle for a Cure to benefit Day Kimball Hospital’s Cancer Center was born.”

All proceeds from the event will benefit the Rose Bove LaRose Cancer Center at Day Kimball Hospital. The funds will support the nationally accredited Cancer Center’s efforts to improve the patient experience and to continue to provide high-quality, patient-centered care, close to home.

“Paddle for a Cure is a significant benefit to those fighting cancer in our community. The proceeds from past years were used towards improvements in patient care including the purchase of three new, state-of-the-art patient beds to deliver the most advanced standard of care to our patients,” said John O’Keefe, Chief Nursing Officer and Vice President of Patient Services for Day Kimball Healthcare. “This year’s proceeds will be used towards the purchase of new vital signs monitoring devices and mobile computer carts. We wouldn’t be able to accomplish this without all Lance and the Collins family have done each year.”

This scenic kayaking event is similar to a walk-a-thon, but participants paddle instead of walk. The event is open to kayakers, paddlers, and boaters. There is no entry fee; instead, participants collect pledges in recognition of their participation. Participants who raise $50 receive a t-shirt, lunch, and a chance to win an Old Town Vapor 10XT kayak. Prize packages will be awarded to those who have raised the top three fundraising amounts.

The Collins family are also seeking contributions of artwork from local artists for display in the Day Kimball Hospital Cancer Center in order to create an atmosphere that promotes greater healing. Interested artists may contact Kristen Willis in the DKH Development Office at (860) 928-7141.

For more information about Paddle for a Cure and to obtain a pledge form, contact the Day Kimball Healthcare Development Office at (860) 928-7141.

To learn more about cancer services at Day Kimball Hospital, visit daykimball.org/cancercare.

PHOTO CAPTION: Kayakers at the 2018 Paddle for a Cure at Riverside Park in Brooklyn, CT.