Fire Chief, Orem Fire Department
Early identification and testing for cancer in firefighters is essential for overall health and longevity.
On December 14, 2016, I was diagnosed with Stage IV mantle cell lymphoma. This diagnosis was a result of a routine cardiac calcium scan. I had the opportunity to review my images before the radiologist saw my scan. I identified a large mass in my chest, which turned out to be a large infected lymph node. Later testing identified that I had widespread neck, chest, abdomen, and pelvis diseased lymph nodes, along with the cancer entering my spleen and bone marrow. Two months prior to this CT scan, I completed one of several 100-mile ultra-endurance running events and had finished a dozen marathons that same year. I had no idea that I was sick. After I underwent a six-month in-patient chemotherapy treatment, and ultimately a stem cell transplant, the cancer was eradicated from my body. Eight years later, with regular follow-up visits, I am still cancer-free. The only question that I have is this: How much easier would my treatment have been had I identified my cancer months or years earlier?