A cancer diagnosis hasnsa国际传媒檛 diminished Rob Froudsa国际传媒檚 passion for firefighting and giving back to community.

The Silver Creek firefighter of seven years has been undergoing palliative chemotherapy since February, when he learned he has cancer in his esophagus, stomach and lymph nodes.

Froud said last August, around when he was deployed by the Columbia Shuswap Regional District (CSRD) to support the Scotch Creek Fire Department with the Bush Creek East wildfire, he began experiencing problems swallowing food. He said the condition continued to worsen and around mid-October, his doctor arranged for him to see a specialist in 12 weeks.

sa国际传媒淎fter eight weeks I went back to my doctor because Isa国际传媒檇 lost just under 100 lbs. I went from a size 44 waist to a 34, and he didnsa国际传媒檛 even recognize me,sa国际传媒� said Froud. sa国际传媒淪o then the specialist happened straight away and then come January 26, they did a scope down my esophagus and found a large tumour at the bottom of my esophagus. They took biopsies in my stomach and in February the diagnosis came back.sa国际传媒�

Froud, who currently has a stent in his lower esophagus that allows him to swallow, was told he has a year to 14 months to live. He is hopeful the chemotherapy will extend that.

A husband and father of three young adults in their 20s, a big part of Froudsa国际传媒檚 focus right now is spending time with family and friends sa国际传媒� while endeavouring to stay positive.

sa国际传媒淚t helps to talk about itsa国际传媒� I like to put a positive on it so people arensa国际传媒檛 so bummed about it,sa国际传媒� said Froud. sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 a hard thing for people to go through and for my friends and my family especially. The more I stay positive, the more it helps them.sa国际传媒�

A commercial electrician, Froud said he recently went back to work with Horizon Electric of Kelowna, which allows him to spend more time with his son who is an apprentice electrician.

sa国际传媒淎s of May 1, Isa国际传媒檝e actually gone back to work because sitting at home by myself, because my wife works, wasnsa国际传媒檛 very good for my brain,sa国际传媒� said Froud. sa国际传媒淚sa国际传媒檇 rather be a positive person so I have chemo for a week and then I go to work for a week. And my company who I work for, Horizon Electric, theysa国际传媒檝e been good, they treat me like family, theysa国际传媒檝e offered to do whatever needs to be done for me.sa国际传媒�

Another way Froud is keeping busy is by remaining an active member of the Silver Creek Fire Department.

sa国际传媒淚 notified the fire department and said I would like to keep coming and volunteering and mentoring the junior firefighters and the younger guys and still come into fire calls,sa国际传媒� said Froud. sa国际传媒淚nstead of being on the nozzle, I can be the guy handing out water and I can be another pair of safety eyes on fire scenes. The CSRD was gracious enough to let me do that. Since then Isa国际传媒檝e been volunteering, just going and helping.sa国际传媒�

Froudsa国际传媒檚 commitment to the Silver Creek Fire Department is exemplified by a new tattoo of the departmentsa国际传媒檚 logo on his right forearm.

sa国际传媒淚 just got it sa国际传媒� I was told not to do it because of the chemo,sa国际传媒� said Froud, proceeding to show a second tattoo on his shoulder with the name Susan. sa国际传媒淭he other one I have is for my wife.sa国际传媒�

Froud has also signed up for deployment through CSRD fire services, despite having faced some of the most frightening moments of his firefighting career last August when the wildfire rolled into Scotch Creek.

sa国际传媒淪helter in place sa国际传媒� itsa国际传媒檚 something you never want to hear,sa国际传媒� said Froud. sa国际传媒淭hatsa国际传媒檚 when the fire is coming and you donsa国际传媒檛 have enough time to outrun it, so we circlesa国际传媒� all the fire trucks, you put the sprinklers out, you turn your vehicles on, your AC, you get in it in your firefighting gear and the fire rolls over top of you. That was my first day there. Then the fire rolls over top of you and you make a run for it on the road and hope nothing is down.

sa国际传媒淲e were driving by and seeing the Squilax gas station blow up, driving through all the fire that night, that was my first day there. And that wasnsa国际传媒檛 the scariest day.sa国际传媒�

Froud admitted his commitment to firefighting is due in part to him being an sa国际传媒渁drenaline junkie,sa国际传媒� but he explained how it has become about more than that.

sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 taught me so much moresa国际传媒� itsa国际传媒檚 taught me how to give to the community and how to give back to others,sa国际传媒� said Froud. sa国际传媒淚sa国际传媒檇 never stopped at accident scenes my entire life but now I stop at accident scenes.

sa国际传媒淭his weekend there was a motorbike accident we drove by and I had to stop. I told my wife I have to stop. The poor guy was sitting there with a broken ankle, waiting hours for someone to come get him from West Kelowna to take him to the hospital. So we drove him to Vernon Jubilee. Helping others, thatsa国际传媒檚 what it instilled in me, the motto of the fire department of, serve something greater than yourself. And it really just stuck into me.sa国际传媒�

To support his uncle Rob, Riley Boudreau and spouse Sarah recently launched an online , seeking donations to help Froud and his family through this difficult time.

sa国际传媒淩iley and Sarah, I cansa国际传媒檛 say enough about them; they started a GoFundMe and Sarah makes me soupssa国际传媒�,sa国际传媒� said Froud. sa国际传媒淚sa国际传媒檓 a proud person. Isa国际传媒檇 never ask for help; Isa国际传媒檝e always got it done by myselfsa国际传媒� Isa国际传媒檝e been doing some surgeries in Kelowna where my wife has to stay too, and there are chemotherapy drugs and the costs are getting up there.

sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 more that it gives my wife and I some more time to spend together, so wesa国际传媒檙e not both having to work the whole year and not seeing each other. Isa国际传媒檓 staying available to my family. My mom is here right now and my sister is coming in another week. They want to spend time with me. So they need the emotional support that I can give them. Itsa国际传媒檚 what yousa国际传媒檝e got to do, right.sa国际传媒�

Asked about esophageal cancer being one of the occupational risks of firefighting, Froud said he asked his medical professionals, sa国际传媒渨hat is this from, why do I have it?sa国际传媒�

sa国际传媒淏ut no one can answer that, and I cansa国际传媒檛 say itsa国际传媒檚 from firefightingsa国际传媒�,sa国际传媒� said Froud, who doesnsa国际传媒檛 wish his experience to deter anyone from joining their local fire departments. sa国际传媒淭heresa国际传媒檚 no proof what I have has come from firefightingsa国际传媒� and we need our volunteers, now more than ever.sa国际传媒�

Fire Chief Darcy Blair recently used the Silver Creek Fire Departmentsa国际传媒檚 Facebook page to rally support for Froud.

sa国际传媒淩ob is a strong individual and will continue to give all he can for our department and the community of Silver Creek,sa国际传媒� said Blair. sa国际传媒淧lease help us support him and his family as he will support us. Please feel free to reach out to me or the fire department at anytime. I want to say thanks to everyone that has him in your prayers at this difficult time.sa国际传媒�

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