GIVING TUESDAY presents #MyGivingStory
Every Act of Giving Has a Story and We Shared Ours. Choose Carney Strong Initiative as your chosen nonprofit and help us win up to $10K. Head over to MyGivingStory and vote today, and every day through December 3rd.
To go directly to the #MyGivingStory Page to Vote for Carney Strong Initiative, click here.
To learn more about Giving Tuesday, or to make a donation today, click here.
Carney’s Beach Blast
Training Weekend
Special Thank You to Midway Professional Firefighters Association IAFF Local 3617 for Another Successful Training Weekend!
Great Instruction Provided by
On Scene Training Associates and
First Responder Sleep Recovery.
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The Event Raised over $3,500 for Carney Strong Initiative to Support Our Mission of
Cancer Prevention in the Fire Service!
Thoughts From a Firefighter Widow
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41 years, 7 months, and 21 days on earth. That is how long Josh was alive for. Lucky for me, I was a part of his life for 24 years and 12 days. But our daughter Shayla, well she got robbed with only 16 years, 10 months, and 25 days with her dad. That is the reality of firefighter cancer. We didn't catch his cancer early. By the time he was diagnosed with Stage 4 Melanoma (malignant), it had already spread throughout his body with a vengeance. Cancer has stolen so much from us, this is a story I wish upon no one.
Thankfully though, not all firefighter cancer stories take the same path as ours. So often you hear about the firefighters who kicked cancer to the curb and are back on shift, or who are enjoying retirement. I like those stories, even if they aren't mine. Of course, I will not lie, I wish every day our family cancer story had a different ending. But that is not the reality we live in, is it. I have never been the type of person to sit in silence with something that weighs me down. I believe, actually I know, that is one of the reasons why Josh fell in love with me so long ago. I am not one to just take the waves without punching back. I couldn't stop his cancer, I couldn't save us from this tragedy. But I can do something for others. I can and I will speak up. I will advocate prevention.
The Carney Strong Initiative isn’t just helping fire departments throughout the country with their cancer prevention methods. It isn’t just about healing my broken heart. Each widow grieves differently. Each family, each department, each brother grieves in their own way. And I have learned that with a simple act of kindness, to give back to someone you don’t know, well that helps with the healing for everyone. And if we are able to prevent this tragedy from happening to any other fire family, well that is the greatest gift of all.
This past October 19th, was the 2 year anniversary of Josh's death. With the support and generosity of so many, Carney Strong was able to stop by 30 fire departments across the country to make small donations of Responder Wipes and educational material to help improve cancer prevention methods within the departments. It fills my heart with such joy to see others help us spread the message, and further our mission to ensure Everyone Goes Home.
Click Here to learn more about Decon Day 2019.
