Dempsey Center

Stretch + Strengthen [Dempsey Connects]
2026-02-18 12:30 - 13:30, 2026-02-11 12:30 - 13:30 (America/New_York) | Dempsey Connects
Join us for a progressive series that combines Pilates and Yoga principles to enhance core strength and stability to promote better balance. We will also focus on improving flexibility, muscular strength, endurance, posture, and alignment.
No experience required.

Led by Tish Caldwell, Dempsey Center’s Movement + Fitness Manager, Certified Oncology Yoga Instructor and Certified Pilates Instructor.

Open to all adult Dempsey Center clients.
Please note that participants must be able to lay on their backs and transition from floor to standing.

This class has a virtual and in person at Rock Row option. You are signing up to attend virtually.

Advanced Cancer Care Partner Support Group [Dempsey Connects]
2026-02-18 11:30 - 13:00, 2026-02-11 11:30 - 13:00
If you are a care partner to someone with an advanced or metastatic cancer diagnosis, we welcome you to this space. This group provides a safe, comfortable place to find the support, information, and understanding you need to continue caring for your loved one and yourself. Together, we can find ways to help you reduce isolation, worry, and fear as you provide emotional and/or physical support throughout the journey.

Led by Christine Brome, LCSW, OSW-C and Linda Coupe, LCPC.

Open to adult Dempsey Center clients who are care partners to a loved one diagnosed with advanced cancer.
Participants must be residents of Maine.

Online sign up is not available for this group. A telephone consult is required before attending. Please call us at (877)336-7287 or email registration@dempseycenter.org to request your consult.

Advanced Cancer Support Group [Dempsey Connects]
2026-02-18 10:30 - 12:00, 2026-02-17 10:30 - 12:00, 2026-02-11 10:30 - 12:00, 2026-02-10 10:30 - 12:00
If you are living with an advanced cancer diagnosis, this is a safe place to explore ways to cope with the challenges of living with advanced illness and continue to find meaning and hope through discussion and connection.
Led by Kerry Irish, LCSW, OSW-C.
Open to adult Dempsey Center clients living with advanced cancer.
Participants must be residents of Maine.

Online sign up is not available for this group. A telephone consult is required before attending. Please call us at (877)336-7287 or email registration@dempseycenter.org to request your consult.

Chair Yoga [Dempsey Connects]
2026-02-18 09:45 - 10:30, 2026-02-11 09:45 - 10:30
Join us for a gentle, accessible form of yoga, open to all levels of experience. Chair Yoga utilizes both seated and standing poses using a chair for support to provide all the benefits of a traditional yoga practice. We will use movement, breathing, and mindfulness to improve muscular strength, bone density, immune support, flexibility, energy, sleep, and posture.

Led by Tish Caldwell, Dempsey Center’s Movement + Fitness Manager, Certified Oncology Yoga Instructor.

Open to all Dempsey Center clients.

Transitioning Into Survivorship [Dempsey Connects]
2026-02-17 17:30 - 19:00, 2026-02-10 17:30 - 19:00
Physical, emotional, and financial difficulties can often continue on after cancer treatment has ended. And for some, those difficulties can be lifelong challenges. Join others who are navigating life post-cancer treatment for this 6-week series to discuss strategies for managing anxiety and planning for life after cancer.
Led by Michelle S. Hayes, LCSW, OSW-C.
Open to adult Dempsey Center clients who are post-treatment.
Participants must be residents of Maine, New Hampshire, or Massachusetts.

Expressions of Loss: Writing + Community [Dempsey Connects]
2026-02-17 17:30 - 18:30, 2026-02-10 17:30 - 18:30
This 8-week series combines peer support and expressive arts to help individuals navigate grief after the loss of a loved one. Through therapeutic writing and drawing prompts, participants will explore their emotions and share their work in a supportive group environment (sharing is encouraged but optional).
Please have writing utensils and paper; no prior writing experience is necessary to join.

Led by Erin King, LCSW, APHSW-C, OSW-C.

Open to adult Dempsey Center clients who have experienced loss of a loved one to cancer.
Participants must be residents of Maine, New Hampshire, or Massachusetts.

Advanced Cancer Support Group - Afternoon [Dempsey Connects]
2026-02-17 15:00 - 16:30, 2026-02-10 15:00 - 16:30
If you are living with an advanced cancer diagnosis, this is a safe place to explore ways to cope with the challenges of living with advanced illness and continue to find meaning and hope through discussion and connection.

Led by Michelle Hayes, LCSW, OSW-C and Jen Keefe, MSW Intern.

Open to Dempsey Center clients living with advanced cancer.
Participants must be residents of Maine, New Hampshire, or Massachusetts.

Online sign up is not available for this group. A telephone consult is required before attending. Please call us at (877)336-7287 or email registration@dempseycenter.org to request your consult.

Tai Chi + Qigong for Energy + Health [Dempsey Connects]
2026-02-17 14:00 - 14:45, 2026-02-10 14:00 - 14:45
Tai Chi is a movement therapy that promotes the flow of energy in the body to improve health. Suitable for all ages, this class will emphasize the practice and cultivation of different exercises that provide benefits such as improved balance, range of motion, and core strength, as well as pain management and decreased stress and anxiety.
Led by Jason Ames, founder and owner of Maine Center for Taijiquan & Qigong.
Open to all Dempsey Center clients.

The Next Chapter: Support After Cancer Treatment [Dempsey Connects]
2026-02-17 12:00 - 13:00, 2026-02-10 12:00 - 13:00
Do you have questions about navigating life post cancer treatment? Are you looking for ways to care for your physical and emotional well-being after treatment has ended? Do you want to connect with others who ‘get it’?

Join us for this 4-week series to learn techniques for coping with the new physical and emotional reality of your post-treatment cancer journey. While connecting with other survivors, learn the importance of eating well coupled with strategies to optimize your diet; identify how movement and fitness can care for your body and mind; and explore how complementary therapies can improve your well-being.
Attendance at all four sessions is highly recommended.

Week 1 – CONNECT: Meet with others in a similar place in their cancer journey.
Week 2 – FEEL WELL: Discover new ways to move your body and learn about how complementary therapies can care for your body and mind.
Week 3 – EAT WELL: Learn how to optimize your diet and eat well through survivorship.
Week 4 – FEEL: Discuss the emotional realities post-treatment.

Led by Allison Burt, LCSW, OSW-C; Judy Donnelly, RDN; Tish Caldwell, Certified Oncology Fitness Instructor; Liz Como, LMT; Michelle Hayes, LCSW, OSW-C.

Open to Dempsey Center clients who are no longer receiving ‘active’ treatment (ex. Chemotherapy, radiation, immunotherapy, etc.)
We acknowledge that the ‘end’ of cancer treatment can look very different from person to person. If you are not sure if this program is right for you, please contact Allison Burt, LCSW at aburt@dempseycenter.org to learn more.

Advanced Cancer Care Partner Support Group - Evening [Dempsey Connects]
2026-02-16 17:00 - 18:30
If you are a care partner to someone with an advanced or metastatic cancer diagnosis, we welcome you to this space. This group provides a safe, comfortable place to find the support, information, and understanding you need to continue caring for your loved one and yourself. Together, we can find ways to help you reduce isolation, worry, and fear as you provide emotional and/or physical support throughout the journey.
Led by Jen Dimond, LCSW, OSW-C and co-facilitated with Volunteer Support Group Facilitator, Judi Stevens.
Open to adult Dempsey Center clients who are care partners to a loved one diagnosed with advanced cancer.
Participants must be residents of Maine.
Online sign up is not available for this group. A telephone consult is required before attending. Please call us at (877)336-7287 or email registration@dempseycenter.org to request your consult.

Yoga for Cancer Care [Dempsey Connects]
2026-02-16 10:30 - 11:30
Reduce stress, manage treatment side-effects, and aid cancer recovery through a unique evidence-based yoga method specifically for those diagnosed with cancer. Through movement, breathing, and mindfulness, this practice aims to provide benefits such as muscular strength, bone density, immune support, flexibility, and improved posture.
Led by Tish Caldwell, Dempsey Center’s Movement + Fitness Manager, Certified Oncology Yoga Instructor.
Open to all Dempsey Center clients.

Please note that participants must be able to transition from floor to standing.

Fitness for Life [Dempsey Connects]
2026-02-16 08:00 - 17:00
Exercise can help fight fatigue, boost your energy level, support your immune system, relieve stress and tension, make your muscles and heart stronger, improve balance and help you sleep better. This 45-minute class will provide you with all the fundamentals of an exercise program, adapting it to meet the needs of varying levels of fitness with a warm-up, aerobic activity, core and strength training exercises, and finishing with a cooldown/stretch.
Please wear comfortable clothes and supportive shoes or sneakers and have a sturdy chair available on a non-skid surface and small handheld weights.

Led by Tish Caldwell, Dempsey Center’s Movement + Fitness Manager, Certified Oncology Yoga Instructor, and Livestrong Cancer Exercise Trainer.

Open to all Dempsey Center clients.

This series will have both an in-person and virtual audience. You are signing up to attend virtually

Young Adult Cancer Support Group [Dempsey Connects]
2026-02-12 17:30 - 18:45
Work, relationships, sexuality, intimacy, finances, family, parenting, college…adulting is just different with a cancer diagnosis. This group is a place for young adults at any point in their cancer journey to connect and socialize with others who understand the challenges of diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship. We share stories, struggles and laughter and identify ways to cope day to day.
Led by Kristen Breault, LCSW and Libby Gordon, Volunteer Support Group Facilitator.
Open to adult Dempsey Center clients ages 18-40ish with a cancer diagnosis, at any point in their cancer journey.
Participants must be residents of Maine.

Yoga for Cancer Care - Evening [Dempsey Connects]
2026-02-12 17:30 - 18:30
Reduce stress, manage treatment side-effects, and aid cancer recovery through a unique evidence-based yoga method specifically for those diagnosed with cancer. Through movement, breathing, and mindfulness, this practice aims to provide benefits such as muscular strength, bone density, immune support, flexibility, and improved posture.
Led by Heather Edgerly Certified Oncology Yoga Instructor.
Open to all adult Dempsey Center clients.
Please note that participants must be able to transition from floor to standing.

Virtual Cancer Support Group [Dempsey Connects]
2026-02-12 10:00 - 11:30
Meet virtually with others impacted by a cancer diagnosis in this weekly support group. Whether you were recently diagnosed, in the midst of treatment, or are in remission, this group is a place to discuss your diagnosis and its lingering impact with those who truly understand.

Led by Paige Moore, LCSW, CAGC, OSW-C.

Open to Dempsey Center clients with a cancer diagnosis at any stage.
Participants must be Maine residents.

Advanced Cancer Support Group - Morning [Dempsey Connects]
2026-02-12 10:00 - 11:30
If you are living with an advanced cancer diagnosis, this is a safe place to explore ways to cope with the challenges of living with advanced illness and continue to find meaning and hope through discussion and connection.
Led by Kailie Sullivan, LCSW, OSW-C and Judi Stevens, Volunteer Support Group Facilitator.

Open to adult Dempsey Center clients living with advanced cancer.
Participants must be residents of Maine, New Hampshire, or Massachuesetts.

Online sign up is not available for this group. A telephone consult is required before attending. Please call us at (877)336-7287 or email registration@dempseycenter.org to request your consult.

Sojourn: A Spiritual Care Series [Dempsey Connects]
2026-02-11 15:00 - 16:15
Cancer can be a powerful force in our exploration and living into the deep questions of what it means to be human and mortal. For those looking to deepen this understanding in relationship, we invite you to join us for Sojourn, a new 8-week spiritual care series. The word Sojourn means a temporary stay. In this context, Sojourn offers a pause for rest and renewal within the cancer experience —a reflective space that aims to create and provide space to question, wonder, identify, and express through peer support, expressive arts activities, and meaningful discussion.

“You will be graced with the necessary catastrophes. They will take away your hiding places and reveal unbelievable beauty.” — Andrew Harvey.

Led by Kerry Irish, LCSW, OSW-C, FAOSW and Rev. Abby Pettee

Open to adult Dempsey Center clients.
Participants must be a Maine state resident.

Advanced Cancer Care Partner Support Group - Afternoon [Dempsey Connects]
2026-02-11 14:30 - 16:00
If you are a care partner to someone with an advanced or metastatic cancer diagnosis, we welcome you to this space . This group provides a safe, comfortable place to find the support, information, and understanding you need to continue caring for your loved one and yourself. Together, we can find ways to help you reduce isolation, worry, and fear as you provide emotional and/or physical support throughout the journey.

Led by Michelle Hayes, LCSW, OSW-C and Jennifer Keefe, MSW Intern.

Open to Dempsey Center clients who are care partners to a loved one diagnosed with advanced cancer.
Participants must be residents of Maine, New Hampshire, or Massachusetts.

Online sign up is not available for this group. A telephone consult is required before attending. Please call us at (877)336-7287 or email registration@dempseycenter.org to request your consult.

Spice Around the World [Dempsey Connects]
2026-02-11 12:15 - 13:15
The use of spices when cooking can be intimidating and when taste sensation has been impacted by treatment, spices can be either helpful or more challenging to incorporate into dishes. So let’s explore spices together! In this workshop, we’ll discover new spices that can add interesting flavors to food while providing health-supporting nutrients. Each week, we’ll make a quick recipe featuring a different spice profile and, of course, sample and chat about food! Your taste buds will thank you!

Open to the public.

Led by Judy Donnelly and a team of volunteer assistants.
