“Our fire family is bigger than just our brigade.”
That belief will see 14 local firefighters tackle a 12.8km walk in full firefighting gear this weekend to support a fellow volunteer firefighter facing a costly cancer battle.
The group is raising money for Sarah Starkey, a member of Canterbury's Swannanoa Volunteer Fire Brigade, who is undergoing treatment for advanced stage three breast cancer.
Sarah, a mother of two young boys, has undergone surgery, immunotherapy and chemotherapy, with radiation therapy also forming part of her treatment plan.
Her immunotherapy drug is unfunded, and the past six months of treatment have already surpassed $70,000 – not to mention the loss of Sarah’s income.
Motueka firefighter Bec Bryan says one of her fellow volunteers was on a recruit course with Sarah and has since learned about the Canterbury woman’s struggles. “She is an incredible person who gives everything to her community.”
Inspired by fundraising efforts elsewhere, including a 24-hour walk by the Murchison brigade and a 58km walk from Swannanoa to Kaiapoi, the firefighters decided to do their part to help ease Sarah's financial burden.
Firefighters from Motueka, Ngātīmoti, Kaiteriteri and Tasman Rural brigades will pull on their full kit and breathing apparatus before setting off from Motueka Fire Station at 9am on Saturday, 31 October.
Carrying about 20kg of equipment each, the walk to Kaiteriteri Fire Station is expected to be physically demanding, and they are aiming to arrive there by midday.
“It’s going to be hot,” Bec says, adding that they are “hoping and praying for an overcast day”. However, Bec says the challenge is no different from the heat firefighters regularly face on the fireground, and this time it is for a cause close to their hearts that reaches beyond their own brigade.
To support their efforts, visit https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/with-love-for-sarah-supporting-a-devoted-mum, or pay directly into the Motueka Fire Brigade bank account at : 03-1354-0260031-00.
