Merrimack Firefighters Turn Out in Pink this October

In addition to fighting fires, Merrimack firefighters are sporting the color pink throughout October in efforts to fight breast and other cancers.

Firefighters exposed to carcinogens and other chemicals while on the job are disproportionately diagnosed with breast cancer – just one of many cancers linked to the work firefighters do. With one in eight women diagnosed each year, an estimated 232,340 new cases of breast cancer and 39,620 deaths will be reported in 2013. Among all women affected, 85 percent have no family history.

“Firefighters are motivated to get involved for many reasons, and often it’s because they have been personally affected by the disease,” says Dan Newman, a firefighter with the Merrimack Fire Department and a member of IAFF Local 2904. “We are supporting breast cancer awareness and prevention by encouraging others to give so that no breast cancer patient goes without life-saving treatments or having hope for a cure.”

Everyone is at risk for breast cancer. The two most important risk factors are being female and getting older. Most women diagnosed with breast cancer have no other known factors. To help reduce your risk, be sure to maintain a healthy weight, eat a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, exercise and limit alcohol consumption.

Your Merrimack firefighters encourage everyone in this community to participate in breast cancer awareness and prevention activities.

– Submitted by Shawn Brechtel, Merrimack Fire Department