NC firefighters’ organization that battles cancer turns to coffee to aid efforts

CONCORD, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — Firefighters who have battled cancer, or who will battle cancer, will have more help from the state and their community thanks to a variety of initiatives which revolve around finances and coffee.

In early July, Gov. Roy Cooper signed into law SB 319, which created a permanent fund that will go to firefighters who battle specific cancers from which they developed on-the-job hazards.

They will receive $37,000 for the first diagnosis and a lump sum benefit of $74,000 if they have two cancer diagnoses.

The help also will be given to firefighters who have retired within the last 10 years.

That being said, more is being done on the front lines of mental health help from these firefighters and the prevention of future diagnosis for firefighters.

All of this help has revolved around coffee.

The North Carolina Firefighter Cancer Alliance is set to reveal in August its new approach to raising funds for their services. They’ve partnered with Broken Compass Coffee Roasters in Concord, to release a coffee blend that the alliance can sell to consumers.

NCFCA member Travis McGaha said the money from sales will help pay for counselors, and for education trips to train other fire departments across the world about cancer prevention.

He explained they, “have firefighters that are cancer survivors, counselors, things like that that can work with firefighters or families, their departments to kind of start processing what it means to have cancer.”

During his career he said he’s known roughly two-dozen firefighters who have battled cancer and close to a dozen who have died from the disease.

The fight, in his eyes is, “like hitting a moving target.” This is why he believes this to be a crucial way to be proactive as opposed to being reactive in the fight.

Their coffee blend , All Clear, will be available starting Aug. 9 through the firefighter cancer alliance.

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