Ignite the Fight: More than Just a 5K Run

This weekend the 2^nd Annual Ignite the Fight 5K raised money for the Firefighter Cancer Support Network.  The run was conceived by Kim Fleming and with the 'support of her employer, ServiceMaster Select, has had two years of success.  The numbers aren’t in yet for this year, but last year, the run raised enough money to donate $18,135 to the Firefighter Cancer Support Network.  Kim said they hope to donate over $20,000 this year. 

In 2010, at the age of 28, Kim’s husband, Kevin, was diagnosed with testicular cancer.  As a firefighter for 12 years, Kevin was exposed to many toxins and carcinogens that are known to cause cancer.  Even knowing this, the diagnosis was a complete shock given how young he was when he received the diagnosis.  Cancer is the second-leading cause of death in firefighters. 

During his treatment, Kevin received a call from the president of the Firefighter Cancer Support Network.  To this day, Kim and Kevin are not sure how the president of the organization got Kevin’s name.  The president welcomed Kevin to “the club” and connected him with a mentor.  This is not the kind of “club” Kevin was looking to join.  However, his mentor was a firefighter who had been diagnosed with the same type of cancer and was there to guide him through the barrage of paperwork and questions they both had.   The Firefighter Cancer Support Network also provided Kevin with a Toolbox to help stay organized through all the doctor’s visits and paperwork.  Most of all, his mentor and the Network helped Kevin stay positive.

It was just after Kevin finished radiation that he decided to run the Yellow Day 5K, a race to raise awareness and money for the Lance Armstrong foundation, Livestrong.  Although he was weak and not feeling 100 percent, having just completed radiation therapy, Kevin completed the run.  Today, he is two years in remission. 

Ignite the Fight 5K was created to continue the support that the Firefighter Cancer Support Network gave to Kevin and hopefully help others.  It seems that everyone knows a firefighter; therefore, at some point, this disease will eventually affect everyone.  People love firefighters – runners, non-runners and walkers.  That’s why people come out to this race.  It’s about supporting the firefighters that we love.  Kim says that the goal of this run is to educate firefighters and the general population about cancer and to promote the Firefighter Cancer Support Network.

As I write this, Kim and Kevin Fleming are celebrating an important day – their three-year wedding anniversary and the anniversary of Kevin’s remission, which coincidently is also the same day of Lance Armstrong’s remission anniversary.  Remember this, it’s not about just starting the race, but finishing the race.  Sometimes, we all need a little support from our network.