Christine B. Dexter was a loving mother, sister, wife, and friend to many. She embodied a caring, community-minded spirit, leaving a trail of small acts with great love everywhere she stepped.

At the young age of 47, she was diagnosed with stomach cancer. After courageous attempts to treat this diagnosis, she lost her life on April 20, 2008. Her family started the Christine B. Foundation (CBF) in 2014, embracing the values Christine carried to support others facing cancer.

As he started his junior year at the University of Maine, Matt Dexter and his family incorporated CBF to honor Christine's legacy and fill gaps in care for the Maine cancer community.

• $150,000 Raised Through the Eastern Trek for Cancer, CBF's annual relay run from Maine to New York (2015-2019)

• 14 service events held at regional cancer centers distributing 500 comfort bags to patients

• $10,000 in college scholarships awarded to cancer patients and survivors

• Over 3 years of hosting focus groups, building partnerships, and researching the greatest unmet needs faced by patients and families affected by cancer.

In 2019, after carefully listening to patients across Maine, CBF pledged to respond to the growing need for healthy food and nutrition information through cancer treatment. After a year of planning and implementation nearly underway, COVID-19 entered our lives.

Since 2020, CBF has remained boldly committed to this mission, leading the state with medically-tailored grocery distribution.

CBF's services address poverty, cancer, and nutrition in Maine, improving the health and well-being of patients.

• For a third year, our nutrition services were available onsite within Northern Light Health member hospitals, where CBF staff greeted patients and families, assembling groceries and providing a weekly prescription of fresh produce, grains, proteins, and supplements.

  • This warm handoff also extends across 11,500 square miles, delivering this care to patients' homes throughout treatment and recovery.

• Founding member of the Association of Maine Cancer Support Centers

• Prepared and distributed healthy foods equivalent to 507,000 meals, reaching individuals across Maine, 93% living in poverty, 69% food insecure, and 39% socially isolated.

Poor nutrition and physical inactivity cause 18% of cancers (American Cancer Society), underscoring the importance of our work. Access to basic needs, including healthy food, significantly improves health outcomes and quality of life. The CBF team makes it simple.

The Christine B. Foundation envisions a world in which nutrition is a standard of care for everyone diagnosed with cancer.

In collaboration with a robust network of mission-aligned volunteers, businesses, healthcare providers, and community partners, CBF will deepen understanding of nutrition's vital importance in removing barriers to care and treating cancer.