The leaves are turning and the seasons are changing in Maine, and with these first signs of fall, Amgen is back in town.

This weekend, thousands have descended on Lewiston to participate in the fourth annual Dempsey Challenge, which raises money for the Patrick Dempsey Center for Cancer Hope & Healing in Lewiston.

A cancer diagnosis can be an overwhelming time for many and, just like riding a bike, understanding the course ahead and choosing the right path can be complex and difficult.

At Amgen, our mission is to serve patients, and our commitment goes beyond delivering innovative medicines to treat cancer and other diseases.

Our patient initiative, Breakaway from Cancer, was founded in 2005 on the notion that cancer can affect many parts of a person’s life and that sometimes it takes more than medicine to beat cancer; it takes a team. Breakaway from Cancer is a partnership between Amgen and four nonprofit organizations.

The Patient Cancer Foundation, Cancer Support Community, Patient Advocate Foundation and the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship offer resources to those affected by cancer with the goal of supporting all stages of a cancer diagnosis, from prevention to survivorship. Together these national groups can help a patient or caregiver understand the impact of a diagnosis, whether that be financial, physical or emotional.

Patrick Dempsey and Amgen teamed up to fight cancer more than five years ago to help patients and their caregivers get access to the resources they may need to beat their diagnosis. Patrick’s mother battled ovarian cancer a few years ago, so he learned firsthand how important it is to have access to good, reliable resources to help the patient, family members and caregivers.

Patrick embraced the Breakaway from Cancer initiative and has worked to make his own impact on the Lewiston community. Cancer patients at the Dempsey Center can receive a broad range of resources, including educational programs, support groups, a toll-free assistance line and counseling services.

The Dempsey Challenge channels Amgen’s and Patrick’s passion for empowering patients and cycling to continue the great work of the Dempsey Center. Last year, more than 3,000 riders and runners participated in the weekend’s festivities and raised more than $1 million for important patient initiatives.

We are pleased that Amgen’s sponsorship of the Dempsey Challenge enables us to continue fighting for cancer patients and recognizing the importance of patient support.

The Breakaway from Cancer team is here again this weekend to honor a local champion and host a Breakaway from Cancer Survivor’s Walk. Kristen Short of Norway is this year’s Breakaway from Cancer Survivor Award winner and had the opportunity to lead the survivors’ walk at Saturday’s event.

She has an amazing talent as a singer/songwriter and is a true example of determination and strength. Her song “Chairs” is a moving piece that she dedicated to the Dempsey Center to help inspire others with stories like hers.

You can share your own survivor story with Breakaway from Cancer through our website or on our Facebook page. Every survivor is a champion and by sharing your cancer journey you can inspire others to do the same and continue the fight against cancer.

I am pleased to say that Amgen will be well-represented at every Dempsey Challenge event this weekend, including teams from our Thousand Oaks, Calif., headquarters, our Cambridge, Mass., research center and our West Greenwich, R.I., manufacturing plant.

Thank you for welcoming us to the Lewiston-Auburn area again and for making the Dempsey Challenge a success. We hope that you will continue Patrick’s vision for the community and help in the fight to break away from cancer.

Bob Azelby is the vice president and general manager of Amgen’s oncology business unit.

To learn more about Breakaway from Cancer, go to:  www.facebook.com/BreakawayfromCancer or visit www.breakawayfromcancer.com.