[rllawson1]

My name is Robin and I have been a firefighter for over 20 years and a payed professional firefighter for over 14 years. In 1997 I got breast cancer, and was off work for about 8 months and went back to work as a firefighter until a reoccurrence in Dec of 2004. I was off work for over a year and a half, and after using all my sick time ,donated time, and vacation time I was approved for a disability retirement and resigned on May 12 2006. I filed for a Workmans Occupational injury /disaese claim in Jan 2005 and was denied, We appealed it (myself and the union lawyer) and it went to a hearing officer. we were told to get another opinion, that took another year to get , but I did. I currently have 2 Oncologist and a Toxicologist who have stated in writing that this is an occupational illness and injury and it can be reasonably associated with my breast cancers, and that it is presumed to have been caused by the exposures to all the carcinogens firefighters are exposed to. The current presumptives laws did not list breast cancer as an occupational disease for female firefighters, even though we all have the same hearts ,lungs, colons, etc. Women have been in the fire service for well over twenty years now and we still have to fight for the same rights that our male firefighters are getting covered for. My case is back at the hearing officer level and I'am waiting to hear on this. There are studies going on every day and more and more are finding that there is a reasonable association linking breast cancer and firefighting. I 'am confident that I will eventually win my case for all female firefighters and that breast cancer will be added to the presumtive list as an occupational disease. I sure could use some help in this matter for all of us, so that when ,not if another female firefighter gets breast cancer, she will not have to go through what I have had to endure the last couple of years. I hope to get replys back. Thanks and be safe.

[kmd24]

Robin, my heart goes out to you and your struggle. I will keep you in my thoughts. What kind of help or support do you need? Do need other examples of women in the fire service who have breast cancer? Or, do you just want some moral support for your legal and physical battles?

Several women in my family have had the disease; two have died, and my grandmother is a survivor - w/one mastectomy. It has not hit my mother's generation or mine yet.

[rllawson1]

Thanks for your support, It would be helpful to find more research, and factual studies on female firefighters and cancers. Anything that can help to get evidence that supports a reasonable association. I have researched and found many articles that support this. It takes Dr.s opionions and toxicoligists to help prove this. Any help at all would be wonderful. I have my family, friends,and other firefighters for a great support system. Thanks and I hope all goes well with you and yours. I hope to hear from others as well as you.

[FFCancer]

Robin,
Please contact me directly regarding your post. I am consulting on some work. comp cases pending in Maryland and may be able to assist with our resources here. Keep the faith sister!

Strive to survive,
Cindy Ell

[rllawson1]

Cindy,
Thanks for your reply and your help.
I could use any help with research, studies, etc, or other women who have had breast cancer as a firefighter and has won a case for occupational illness and injuries. To date I have not heard of any cases. They are different in every state. There needs to be good sound research and studies, along with Dr,s agreeing that there is a reasonable association.
It's been so hard to deal with this issue for so long and try to stay healthy in the mean while. It's so wrong and so stressful, I can not even begin to explain what one has to go through. I've had in 2005 over 30 Dr.'s appt, 3 surgeries and chemo and to have to fight for this now for 1 year and 8 months is not right.
I know that life is not fair, but to have your life put on hold and have lawyers fight it out and delay, just to delay is messed up. I have read the laws, statues, regulations, rules, time bars, Etc. It can all get very confusing. I have learned a lot, and I could teach a class on all of this. I will not give in or give up, and I will stay tough. Thanks for any help in this matter. Robin

[rllawson1]

My e-mail is

Thanks for any replys ,comments, jokes, stories.
I can always use postive feed back.
Thanks again, and be safe.

[FFCancer]

Robin,
It is a very frustrating and difficult fight and one that adds insult to injury - literally. I had to do the battle as well and ended up retired. This led to becoming a paralegal to better negotiate the system for others.

I will be in Toronto for the IAFF Convention, as will our Maryland work comp attorney. Through the Foundation, I am working on developing a consortium of work comp attorneys from different states to exchange study information, research (including case law), and assist with experts for testimony on all cancers. I will be asking each IAFF State President to recommend atleast one comp attorney and one legislative figure so we can start moving things in the right direction. I will be doing the same at the IAFC Convention in Dallas in September with the Volunteer and Combined Officers contingent. Until we get the parties doing the work in these areas networking, we will be forced to keep reinventing the wheel.

Your mention of being experienced enough to write a worker's comp. presentation is a valid one that I would like to follow up on. Maybe a presentation of that nature could assist those that face the same fight.
I would like to speak further on this idea.

In the meantime, remember that you are not alone.

Cindy

[Michelley]

Robin~
I'm so sorry to hear that you're going through this. Have you seen the Mark Noble "You need it like a hole in the head" video? In it he talks about his fight with brain cancer caused by fire fighting and about the need for more research on women fire fighters and cancer. Here's the link for the video if you haven't seen it http://www.ergometricsonline.com/markNoble/index.cfm.

I will do some digging and see if I can find anything to help you. Hang in there!

[rllawson1]

Thank you for looking at and replying to my post, and I will try to see this video.
Your support along with Cindys has been a real help to know that together we can get some major issues in the right direction. It has been a roller coaster ride with more downs than ups, but I'am hanging in there. My poor family, I feel bad that I have had to put them through so much..but I know that this is what its going to take. I signed on for the long haul.
Thanks for your help, its great to know that if you ask for help it will come.
I look forward to hearing from you again.
Robin

[BLACKWIDOW]

I WORKED WITH A MAN WHO DID OVER 20 YEARS IN THE FIRE SERVICE AND HAD BREAST CANCER. DO NOT LIMIT YOURSELF TO WOMEN WITH YOUR RESEARCH...I CAN NOT ASK HIM ABOUT IT BECAUSE HE DIED DUE TO AN MVA THIS YEAR. GOOD LUCK AND GOD BLESS.

BLACKWIDOW

[rllawson1]

I understand this and although it is rare, men do get breast cancer. I was wondering if he did get compensation for this? Sorry to hear that he passed away in a mva.
To be fair to all firefighters it should be covered for us all, with an occupational illness and injury and added in the presumptive laws in all states. That could take awhile. In the mean time, I just hope to get the word out and let firefighters know what there rights are.
Thanks for your comments and concern.
Be healthy and safe.
Robin

[BLACKWIDOW]

SORRY I DO NOT KNOW FOR SURE BUT I WOULD BE WILLING TO BET HE DID NOT. I AGREE IT SHOULD BE COVERED FOR ALL THAT IS WHY I SUGGESTED YOU SEE IF THERE ARE ANY STATS ON BREAST CANCER IN MEN IN THE FIRE SERVICE. YOU MAY GET MORE SUPPORT.
GOOD LUCK
BLACKWIDOW

[rllawson1]

Thanks,
It would be great for both. I have faith that we will get there, its just going to take some time and a lot of effort.
God bless you as well.

[Michelley]

Hey Robin~
I have no idea exactly what information you have already found, but here's some things that I'm finding that may be helpful. I've just started to look and I'll post more when I find it.

Michelle

http://www.leoff.wa.gov/board/documents/AgendaItem8-PresumpitveCoverageforFemaleFireFighters-InitialConsideration.pdf

[rllawson1]

javascript:emoticon('')
Very Happy
You are awsome, and no I did not see this one. I knew New york and virginia had the breast cancer presumptive legislation, but its nice to see what other states have and don't have.
Its very disheartening( as cindy would say ) to see what lack of coverage we have for female firefighter. We are going to get these cancers in the books. I know I will keep looking and I appreciate your help so much.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Thanks again Robin