Westford Woman Part of TeamWalk for CancerCare

A Westford woman will be thinking of her late father on Sunday when she participates in the 18^th annual TeamWalk for CancerCare at the Tsongas Center in Lowell. Schoolteacher Laura Anderson will be the team captain of the group walking in honor of her father, Robert Lamarre, who died of cancer in 2010.

Mr. Lamarre was a lifelong Lowell resident and was a hard worker, according to Anderson. A bricklayer, Mr. Lamarre and his wife, Pauline, had 10 children. Anderson is the youngest of the bunch.

When Mr. Lamarre was diagnosed with bladder cancer, doctors chose to operate on him at the Saints Campus of Lowell General. After the cancer re-occurred, the staff at the Lowell General Hospital’s Cancer Center tried to remove the cancer with radiation.

“When he was being treated, I can’t say enough nice things about every person there,” Anderson said. “The staff took the time to talk to him, making sure he understood everything that was going on. He was involved in every decision. He understood the pros and cons to every treatment option and they were patient with us and him as it was all new to us.”

In addition to providing typical treatment services found at other cancers, the cancer center at Lowell General offers assistance to patients and families in other ways. These include transportation to appointments, help paying for prescription medication, on-site massages, and nutritional supplements. Mr. Lamarre did not use any of those services, but his family nonetheless has helped fund those programs by participating in TeamWalk every year since 2011. On average, Team Lamarre raises $1,000 - $5,000 each year.

For more information or to make a donation, visit teamwalk.org.