CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The 2021 Fire Department C.A.R.E t-shirts officially go on sale this Friday. The popular campaign raises money for local nonprofits as well as firefighters and their families who are battling cancer.
For one local firefighter, this campaign takes on a special meaning after his own battle with cancer. Battalion Chief Scott Marsh said he never takes a day on the job for granted.
"I'm happy to be here, woke up this morning, life is good," Marsh said.
Marsh has served the Corpus Christi community for the last 26 years. In 2009, he was diagnosed with cancer. He had melanoma.
"The department took care of me and my family, they are one of the reasons I'm still here with all the support-- and C.A.R.E was one of the main contributors to help with that," Marsh said.
Marsh is talking about the simple t-shirts with their can't miss pink logos. C.A.R.E stands for Cancer Awareness Relief Effort and serves as a symbol of support for those who are battling the disease.
"The money we raise, it stays here and assists firefighters who are in their dire time of need if they have been diagnosed with cancer or one of their family members," Sharp said.
Now in its 12th year, the campaign has raised over half a million dollars and has helped over 30 firefighters here at home.
"Cancer is one of those diseases that has stricken firefighters across the nation and so we're not just battling for the community, we're helping our own," Sharp said.
According to the CDC, firefighters have a greater risk of contracting cancer than the general population.
"When I first came on the job, the dirtier you were, the better," Sharp said. "It was that was important, showed you were a good fireman. We've also found that was carcinogens that were making you dirty."
Marsh said over the years, the culture has changed and more measures are in place to limit risk to firefighters.
"We're decontaminating our firefighters when they come out of a fire, wiping them down, rinsing them off, swap out their gear with clean gear," Marsh said.
Marsh was treated for his cancer and continues routine scans, which helped him catch a separate diagnosis years later.
"In 2018, I was diagnosed with a brain metastasis," Sharp said. "I did treatment for two years, I'm a year out, still here and still kicking."
If you would like to help support the CARE campaign, you can pick up your shirt at the Professional Firefighters Association Hall at 6014 Ayers St., just look for the pink fire truck, starting at 8 a.m. Friday.
For the latest updates on coronavirus in the Coastal Bend, click here.
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