MAINE, USA — In an effort to continue care for cancer clients during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Dempsey Center has launched a virtual center.
Dempsey Connects ensures that current clients can access services beyond the physical Dempsey Center locations in Lewiston and South Portland during the pandemic.
"Dempsey Connects is the cornerstone of a strategic adaptation plan to preserve the strength of the mission and ensure continuity of services in response to the operational and economic impacts of COVID-19," a press release said Monday.
Founded in 2008 by actor and Mainer Patrick Dempsey, Dempsey Center traditionally offers in-person workshops, counseling, support groups, fitness, massage, acupuncture and life care. When the COVID-19 pandemic began, the Center was serving roughly 1,000 clients and quickly transitioned online through the virtual center.
Consequently, the plan calls for a reduction in vendor relationships, cuts to professional expenses, and the elimination of five positions.
Dempsey Center leadership initially included the creation of a virtual center in the organization’s recent three-year strategic plan to better serve the needs of all Maine people impacted by cancer, but COVID-19 accelerated the project.
The Center is expected to begin offering some in-person services this Fall based on CDC guidance, client feedback, and best practices in health care.
For more information on the Dempsey Center, click here.
Also on Monday, Dempsey posted the above picture on Instagram with the caption "It’s a Beautiful Day to Save Lives," a nod to his role as Dr. Derek Shepherd- also known as McDreamy- on Grey's Anatomy. Dempsey acted on the show for 10 years, as his last appearance on Grey's was in 2015.
