A volunteer fireman who has been fighting bushfire across New South Wales for weeks has revealed that he has colorectal cancer.
42-year-old Darren Carter from Oakdale is between rounds of chemotherapy after he was diagnosed with the disease in 2018. He has already been through radiation and two bouts of chemotherapy but he didn’t think twice about helping to battle raging blazes.
The father-of-two will undergo his next treatment in February.
In an interview with Yahoo News, he said: “I could have been sh**ty about it and gotten angry with the world but I just decided to deal with it. I just have to go through it.”
Mr. Carter said that adrenaline has helped him to get through four weeks of fighting blazes even though his disease has already slowed him down.
He said firefighters are completely exhausted after fighting such intense conditions but he will continue offering help for as long as he can.
“It’s my community and I’m helping out mates,” he expressed. “It’s also about being with the guys on the truck – you train with these guys and it’s like being bitten by a bug.
“You also care about the residents around here and you volunteer because you enjoy doing it.”
The father-of-two, who has helped fight the Green Wattle Creek fire, has been going to the Southern Highlights to also offer help there.
One internet user commented: “Well done mate, your a credit to both your family and the fire service. Good luck with the rest of your treatment.”
Another wrote: “Thank you to all the volunteers fighting to protect our communities you truly are heroes and I thank you each and every one.”
A third added: “All of you are Amazing every single one of you. Much Love to you all.”
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