Active and retired Chicago fire fighters can get early detection cancer and cardiovascular disease screenings through at least July thanks to a new partnership between Local 2, United Diagnostic Services (UDS), and GRAIL.
“These diseases are the leading causes of death among fire fighters because of what we are exposed to every day on the job,” said Local 2 President Pat Cleary, a 37-year veteran fire fighter. “Early detection of these diseases is essential to prolonged life and survival.”
UDS, which provides comprehensive wellness screenings in the United States and Canada, already has provided its early cancer and cardiovascular disease scan program to more than 25,000 first responders at fire departments and during health and safety events.
“Notably, approximately 68 percent of the participants required some form of follow-up or immediate medical intervention, underscoring the effectiveness and importance of these screenings,” UDS CEO Ray Lankin said. “And these scans have caught more than 40 cases of thyroid, kidney, bladder, and testicular cancer just in the last year.”
Cleary said he wanted to bring the program to active and retired Chicago members after hearing about its success. He also brought in GRAIL, a healthcare company that provides early multi-cancer detection screening tests using blood draws, to better accommodate 1,800 slots.
“Notably, approximately 68 percent of the participants required some form of follow-up or immediate medical intervention, underscoring the effectiveness and importance of these screenings.”
UDS CEO Ray Lankin
“Fire fighters are at high occupational risk of exposure to cancer-causing substances and should be tested early to ensure the greatest survival rate,” said Jeffrey Venstrom, MD, Chief Medical Officer at GRAIL. “Our Galleri test is a proactive tool to screen for a ‘fingerprint’ of many of the deadliest cancers before they become symptomatic.”
Local 2 and the Chicago Foreign Fire Insurance Board provided funding. Everyone who signs up will receive the scan at no cost.
Fire fighters with UDS scans or Galleri blood draws that detect any abnormalities are encouraged to follow up with their primary care physicians.
Waterbury, CT Local 1339 member Joe Bodanski knows the value of early testing. He received his scan through UDS’s program and recently shared his story at a Uniformed Professional Fire Fighters Association of Connecticut meeting.
“The scan found that I had thyroid cancer. That’s the type of cancer that’s supposed to move slowly, but not mine,” Bodanski said. “My doctor said this would never have been caught in a regular examination. That’s why early screenings are so important. It really saved my butt.”
