ROCKPORT — The Pen Bay Healthcare Foundation is pleased to announce a gift of $1,000 from Rock Harbor Pub & Brewery. The gift is dedicated to supporting patients living with prostate and other cancers.

The gift was inspired by the existing No-Shave November cancer awareness event, said Rock Harbor Pub & Brewery owner Dan Pease. To further support cancer awareness Pease promised to donate 25 cents to Pen Bay Healthcare
Foundation for every beer sold. That came out to about $800, which rounded up to $1,000 along with additional donations from patrons and the brew pub, Pease said.

"Recently my family had an experience with prostate cancer and so it hits very close to home," said Pease in a news release. "We decided to do something about it."

The gift will help the more than one-third of cancer patients who experience financial distress due to their cancer care said Elizabeth Connelly, MD, oncologist at the Cancer Care Center at Pen Bay Medical Center.

"Gifts like this help patients with the added expenses that come with cancer care," said Connelly. "Many people will forgo cancer treatment because of the costs associated with medication and transportation so this gift is great."

The Cancer Care Center at Pen Bay Medical Center provides cancer treatment, support, detection and diagnosis, plus a full range of educational and counseling services. The Center is staffed by an on-site, board-certified hematologist/oncologist, a social worker dedicated to the unique needs of cancer patients, nurses with a special interest in caring for patients with cancer, several of whom have certification in oncology nursing and a certified tumor registrar. The Center provides outpatient oncology and hematology care services to adults eighteen years and older.