Firehouse is sharing profiles of firefighters who have been diagnosed with Leukemia or Lymphoma and who are part of the upcoming Scott Firefighter Stairclimb in Seattle, March 12. Firehouse will provide a live stream of the day-long fundraiser on Firehouse.com and on our Facebook page beginning at 10:30 a.m. ET.
With easy access to a plethora of medical websites like WedMD, it’s become common for people to self-diagnose based on sometimes arbitrary symptoms. But when Mark Taylor—a now retired firefighter from Bend, OR, Fire & Rescue—turned to “Dr. Google” with the concerning results of his annual fire station blood test, he was one of the few people who turned out to be right about his symptoms.
On Dec. 20, 2013, a doctor confirmed what Mark had been fearing to be true—he had chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). His white blood cell count had been running high for a couple years, and in one instance, it was actually double the “high” range of a normal cell count. In his late-50s, Mark was diagnosed at 15-years younger than the average person who gets CLL, according to his doctor. He is fairly certain that this was due to an environmental cause linked to carcinogenic exposure while working as a firefighter in his earlier years.
It’s been predicted that he's about four to five years away from beginning actual treatment because this type of cancer is very slow moving. He been told that unless his cancer acts up erratically, doctors have a pretty good idea of what the next several years should look like for him. But this isn’t always a comforting thought. It can sometimes feel like there’s a devil on his shoulder lying in wait that just doesn’t want to go away.
Last year, Mark contracted a serious case of pneumonia since his immune system is much weaker than the average person. He also developed a sinus infection and a lung abscess and ended up on five different antibiotics within two months. Trying to maintain his wellness is a definite challenge in his life, but all things considered he still refers to his cancer as “the good type of leukemia.”
Mark knows that while a cancer diagnosis can seem like an end-all, what’s most important to him is how one moves forward from such a dark experience. He encourages others to try and take charge of their own futures because with resources provided by organizations like the Cancer Support Network and Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS), there is hope for patients whether in treatment or in finding solace in the encouragement of others.
Despite knowing in the back of his head it is likely his line of work that was the catalyst for this disease, Mark couldn't love being a firefighter more. He’s always preferred being active, working with his hands, and helping people whenever he can. He’s been a career paramedic for 25 years, and says nothing can compare to the feeling of saving someone’s life and helping people in need.
“I would say one of the more intimate relationships you can have with someone is to try and help a stranger,” Mark said. “They allow you into their life and give you all their trust.”
Like many others, he finds the fire service to be like his second family. Even when he’s traveled to other countries and visited their fire stations, they welcome him in as if he’s one of their own.
Mark knows all about the importance of family, as a father of two grown children—a 30-year-old daughter and a 27-year-old son. And now he’s now primarily concerned about being there to watch his grandchildren grow up. Like any good grandparent, he hopes to be around to watch them go off to college, get married, and although his future is uncertain, ultimately just be present in their lives as much as possible. It’s obvious that Mark is a humble and caring man. He’s often thinking about people other than himself despite his medical situation.
“When I think about kids going through cancer, and what their families go through emotionally and financially, I can’t even imagine,” Mark said. “It’s then pretty easy for me to tell myself to shut up and put one foot in front of the other.”
And he literally does just that. He’s been a Scott Safety Stairclimb participant for the past decade in Seattle, WA. He thought the 2016 stairclimb would be his last, but after reconsidering the feeling of seeing the honorees practically glowing on event day, and experiencing the energy of thousands of fellow firefighters all in one place for an amazing cause, he decided he’d give it one last go.
As a retiree, Mark is living the good life. He recently moved to Spokane with his wife, bought a used trailer, and says it’s now difficult to find them at home during the summer. Often off exploring the grand Pacific Northwest, Mark is a true Cascadian through and through. Whether he’s fly fishing, road biking, playing the bagpipes or just being a grandpa, Mark isn’t letting his diagnosis change the way he enjoys his life.
EMILY MUIRHEAD is a campaign assistant with The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society—Washington/Alaska Chapter and part of the Scott Safety Stair Climb Challenge staff.
