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RACE
INFO
6th
Annual Mary's Run
SUNDAY
JUNE 1, 2008 9:30 am (Rain or shine)
5K Run &Walk
Henniker Community School
15 Western Avenue
Henniker, NH
Course
Record:
Male: William Seidel 16:47
Female: Christin Doneski – 18:14
USA
Track and Field Sanctioned Event
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Entry
Fee:
: $15 Pre-registered by May 23, 208 / $20 race day - NO REFUNDS
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T-shirts:
available to everyone registered by May 15, 2008
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REGISTRATION: Henniker Community School:
Saturday, May 31, 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. or Race Day:
8:00 a.m. – 9:15 a.m.
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Wheel measured course
runs through the back roads of Henniker, NH
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Free childcare service available at White
Birch Community Center
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Plenty of post race refreshments and changing
facilities
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Top
three registered runners score for team divisions
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Plenty of post
race refreshments and changing facilities
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All proceeds
benefit the Mary Coffin Scholarship Fund
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More info: Wanda Coffin (603) 428-3143 or wpcoffin@yahoo.com
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Want to volunteer? Contact Larry Restuccia
(603) 428-7929
MARY'S
STORY
Written by, Mary
It's
eight years ago this August 2002. It all started when I began
sitting close to the TV. My mom brought me to the eye doctor.
The doctor told me I had a lazy eye and needed to where a
patch over my good eye to make my bad eye stronger. My mother
asked the doctor if it was a cist or a brain tumor, the doctor
told my mother no and sent me home with a patch over my left
eye. For about a month. My parents decided to get another
opinion so we went to see he ophthalmologist, Simmons Lasel.
He told my mother and I to go to Boston and see a neuro- ophthalmologist.
I
went to Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary and saw Dr. Simmons
Lacell. He told my parents and I that I needed to get an M.R.I.
I was only seven at this time and was terrified. We went to
a place in Cambridge to follow through with what the doctor
said. I could not believe what was happening. I was supposed
to be at bible school with all my other friends. Now I was
somewhere that I didn't know what was going to happen to me
next. I was going to get in this machine that I thought was
going to eat me up! Once the M.R.I. was over I said to my
Mom "That was fun!" Once the M.R.I. was over we were sent
to Children's Hospital in Boston Mass.
We
went to see a neurosurgeon, R. Michael Scott. He was a very
kind gentle man. My parents and I sat down in front of him.
He told us that I had a cist or a brain tumor. At this time
I did not know what this was and could not believe it was
happening to me. I got upset once I found out what a brain
tumor was. My parents comforted and helped me through this
awful time. Once I got home my parents called all our friends
and family I had a week and a half till my surgery it would
be on August 15, 1994. I would be in the hospital on my birthday.
The
next week or so I was not allowed out of the house because
I could not be sick before the operation. But I did get a
chance to have a small birthday party. I invited my closest
of friends, Molly Lennox, Molly Bopp, Andrew Ellis, and Charlie
Helfrich. We went to an arcade and had the best time. My grandmother,
Deloris came down for a week and spent time with my sister
Sue and I. We went on walks together and talked together.
I was really glad she was there. I felt that she was another
shoulder to cry on.
I
couldn't believe how short twelve days were. It went by so
fast. I was scared and did not want to go.. We packed my bags
and brought a lot to the hospital. I had gotten an early birthday
present, what I called my "big baby." She looked like a real
baby and I was attached to her. I also brought my yellow baby
blanket. I loved that blanket and could not live with out
it. Sue went to my mom's parent's Hilda and Pete Peterson's
house until I got home from the hospital, my dog Huck went
too.
We
drove to Boston Children's Hospital the day before my operation,
which was a Monday so I was a little used to the hospital.
I was taken up to Nine North. That is where all the neurology
patients go. I met all the nurses, who were very nice. I was
weighed in, my height was taken and I was introduced to the
room where I would spend my next night. It was a single room
and had a chair that pulled out into a bed for one of my parents
to sleep on. The other would stay next door at the Inn at
Children's. That night was a long night.
All
I wanted to do is go home, and go in my own bed. I had a bad
dream that night. I dreamed that the doctor was using a straw,
sucking my brains out. I woke up crying, my parents and the
nurse comforted me. I finally calmed down. I realized then
that that night could have been my last. I also realized that
my doctors would do everything they could to keep me from
dying. The rest of the night I slept well, and never woke
up again.
The
next morning I was woken up, it was around six o' clock. I
was taken down in my bed to the pre op room. I was introduced
to all the doctors and nurses who would be operating on me.
They were all in their scrubs and were ready to go. I was
wheeled into the operating room and put on the operating table
on this sheepskin blanket and that is all I remember before
the surgery. I was in the hospital for five days; Monday is
when the surgery was. On one of the days I was in the hospital
all the doctors came in, my neurosurgeon, oncologist, neurologist
and lots of other people. They told me that they could not
get the entire tumor and my family and me chose to do 30 days
of radiation to radiate the rest of the tumor.
I
went home on Friday. I was happy to see my sister and my dog
again. Sometime within the next week we went back down to
Boston, to set up the radiation. I was set up with a helmet,
which even went inside my mouth! I stayed at The Ronald McDonald
House with, my mom for 30 days. I went home to Henniker for
the weekends to see my dad and my sister, Sue. Well, it was
a long thirty days and I met a friend from Atlanta named,
Theresa Mancuso, she is very nice. We had a lot of fun together
at The Ronald McDonald House. Well thirty days went by and
I got to go to school because it had already started, so I
had a tutor at the McDonald House.
Later,
I had an M.R.I. every three months. On one of them we found
out that my tumor had gone away! My family and I were so happy!
Over the years we have made appointments to Boston here and
the, but only to the worlds best hospitals, in Boston. Well,
about four years later I started having migraine headaches.
After a while they were getting worse. I had an M.R.I. and
found out that there was something there, so I had a biopsy
and the doctors realized after many tests it was the same
tumor! I was then put on chemotherapy. I have many chemotherapies
and radiation two more times.
Now
today July 16, 2000 I am on a Chemotherapy trial of medicines
called TPCV. My M.R.I. tests show that my tumor is stable,
not growing, but not shrinking. Today I went to The Jimmy
Fund Clinic at The Dana Farber Cancer Institute for a transfusion.
I needed red blood cells to make my energy and hematocrit
higher, it worked! I was also at the clinic yesterday. I go
there every other week for a check up by my oncologist, Joanne
Wolfe and sometimes neurologist, Scott Pomeroy, or my endocrinologist,
Laurie Cohen. We also check my blood every other week by my
nurse, Robin.
For
the beginning of chemotherapy I did not have a central line
or a port- acath. I was having Robin and my other nurse, Anne
use my veins. I had some high- pressure in my brain. The doctors
and nurses talked and decided to put in a port-acath and a
shunt at the same time. Finally my nurses only had to prick
me once and I wasn't getting any more headaches! I also make
other appointments to see my ophthalmologist, and my local
pediatrician, Patricia Edwards.
I
ended my freshmen year at John Stark Regional High School.
It went quite well. I made honor roll throughout the year,
and was on the executive council! Now I am working at a lawyer,
Jim Gleason's local office in Henniker where I live. Henniker
is a great town. Everyone knows everyone, but that is what
is so great about this town. If I am sick or my family needs
some kind of help, people are there and are waiting to help
us. I could have not lived in a better town to grow up in.
A
year ago this spring my legs started giving out. I used a
walker to walk and a wheelchair at school. I ended up using
a wheelchair all the time. I could not feel my legs. I couldn't
even stand up. Getting used to that was hard. My family and
my friends helped me get through it. My friends have stayed
the same, but some have changed: Molly Lennox, Drew Ellis,
Charlie Helfrich, Whitney Hunter, Cooper Cunnliffe, Rachel
Raynes, Shannon Blythe, Theresa Mancuso, and Jessica Lohrmann
are my closest of friends. They are all very and awesome friends.
They are all unique in different ways, but all of them have
a true heart!
Being
in a wheelchair puts your whole life in a different perspective.
Places not being handicapped accessible, no ramps on sidewalks
to get down or up, not even enough handicapped parking places!
My mom, dad and sister have all become stronger in lifting
me from place to place. I even have become a lot stronger
in my arms and upper body. My physical and occupational therapists:
Kathy Wyle, Marty, Debby Belanger, and Ruth Monk. I see most
of them every other week and Ruth is my occupational therapist
at school. While I am at home I have different things that
help to keep me comfortable. I have a hospital bed in my room.
It is good because I do not have to sleep totally flat. I
also have an electric recliner. The electric buttons are easier
than a regular cchair because It takes a lot , Just to pull
that lever. It moves up to a standing position, which I do
not need. It moves down so I can recline without being flat.
If I am flat I get back pain. I get back pain during the day,
so that is controlled with medicine. I take other medications
during the day for other things, but I do take a lot of medicines!
Every
Wednesday and Thursday from 1:30P.M- 3:30P.M. I go to work
at the lawyer office downtown. I enjoy working for Jim because
he is a great boss and a good friend to my family. He pays
me a good amount of money so I have some extra spending money.
I get dressed up for work and am away from my parents for
a couple of hours twice a week. It is good for my family and
me. During the summer I enjoy sleeping in. I like to shop
and have friends over.
Every
summer The Jimmy Fund Clinic has a exciting trip to a Red
Sox game. We get seats up in the Six Hundred Club where you
get free food and drinks and a great view of the game. You
also get to bring a friend to the game. This year I am going
to be in the new magazine that Children's Hospital has put
out. I have in article about myself, and a photograph of a
friend and me. The man who is interviewing me will at the
game with the photographer. I brought Drew to the game this
year. He and my mom were at the interview. I didn't know how
much Drew worried about me. He is one of my closest friends.
I also was in a magazine "In Touch" in 2000.
OBITUARY
Mary
Catherine Coffin, 16 years old of Henniker, New Hampshire,
died peacefully on November 12, 2002 at Children's Hospital
in Boston after a courageous eight year battle with a brain
tumor. Mary was the loving daughter of Wanda (Peterson) Coffin
and Kerry Coffin and devoted sister to Susan (Sue) Coffin.
Mary
was born in Portland, Maine on August 18, 1986. She was an
honor roll student at John Stark Regional High School and
a member of the Executive Council. Prior to high school, Mary
attended elementary and middle school at the Henniker Community
School. A four-year honor roll student and active participant
in many school activities, Mary was a representative and President
of the Student Council, a member of the school band, and participated
in youth sports. She was honored with the Citizenship Award
at her eighth grade graduation. She was also presented the
New England League of Middle Schools 2001 New Hampshire Scholar
Leader award. Mary also participated in the 2001 Peer Leadership
Summit at New England College.
Mary
was a communicant of St. Theresa's Church in Henniker and
a member of the Henniker Community Christian Youth Group.
She was also a Swiftwater girl scout. Mary was a passionate
fundraiser for the Jimmy Fund, raising over sixty thousand
dollars. Governors from Massachusetts and New Hampshire recognized
her successful efforts. She was a Boston Marathon Jimmy Fund
Walk "Hero" and a "Pedal Partner" for the Pan-Massachusetts
Challenge. Mary was an inspirational public speaker and advocate
for the Jimmy Fund, sharing her story to raise awareness of
the ongoing need to fund cancer research. In 2001, Mary was
one of twelve recipients nationwide to receive a Courage Award
honoring her perseverance, unwavering hope, and outstanding
personal achievement.
Mary
enjoyed painting, music, shopping, and computers. She especially
loved school and time with family and friends.
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