Md. Firefighters Promoting Men's Cancer Awareness

It’s a given.  During October, fire and rescue personnel across the nation wear pink to bring awareness to breast cancer.

Razors stay on the shelf the following month – during Movember -- to focus on cancers affecting men.

Firefighters in one Maryland county, however, are taking the effort to another level to promote men’s health and battle specific cancers.

Next month, Anne Arundel County fire and rescue personnel will be wearing specially designed t-shirts promoting issues associated with testicular and prostate cancers.

Firefighter Mike Hertz came up with idea last year after his uncle and another family member were diagnosed with prostate cancer.

“We need to start talking about it, and the importance of screenings,” Hertz said. “For me, it was very personal…”

The administration accepted the idea, and allowed personnel to wear the sapphire blue t-shirts that sported a light blue and purple ribbon.

Sky blue is the color associated with prostate cancer, and purple, testicular cancer.

Through the sale of the shirts, firefighters donated $8,000 to Tate Cancer Center at Baltimore-Washington Medical Center in Glen Burnie.

The shirts they will be wearing in April are black with a new logo along with the same slogan – “Men’s Health Awareness, Don’t Become a Statistic.”

“We’re hoping to surpass that $8,000 this year. In addition to the shirts, we’re also selling sweatshirts, sweatpants and hooded sweatshirts,” he said.

Hertz said he and fellow firefighters want to get the word out that awareness and prevention are essential.

Recent studies show firefighters’ risk for testicular cancer is two times greater than the average population, while the rate for prostate cancer is 1.28 greater.