Firefighters Want to Extinguish Cancer

Councilmember LaBonge gives send-off to firefighters seeking to raise awareness about cancer in their profession.

Councilmember LaBonge hosted a send-off yesterday for a team of former firefighters as they began a cross-country tour to raise awareness about cancer in their profession.
Lorenzo Abundiz, President and Founder of Code 3 for a Cure, left Griffith Park on a 20,000-mile journey throughout the United States to visit other firefighters who are victims of the pernicious disease.
"These are the people who go into fires and protect the homes and lives of everyone in Los Angeles," Councilmember LaBonge said. "They never know when they go into a building what chemicals will be in there or how they could be harmed."
Mr. Abundiz, a former firefighter for Pomona and Santa Ana fire departments, was once awarded the California State Firefighters' Association Medal of Valor. He was forced into medical retirement after 26 years because of leiomyosarcoma, a rare soft-tissue cancer.
The firefighters will share their cancer survivor stories to bring awareness of the need for early cancer screenings for firefighters and the public. They also hope to raise money to fight the disease.
"The public's contribution will enable this unique public charity organization to reach out and directly assist individual firefighters who are facing a financial hardship caused by cancer," said Mr. Abundiz. "We are firefighters and if we can extinguish fires, we can extinguish cancer."
The Code 3 for a Cure team is expected to return from their journey in November.