A Franklin Square volunteer firefighter is battling a rare form of cancer, and his firehouse is trying to help save his life by finding a donor.
Chris Dand is a longtime member of the Franklin Square and Munson Fire Department and helped at ground zero.
In 2018, he was diagnosed with a 9/11-related cancer. A year later, he received a lifesaving bone marrow transplant and was in remission until recently.
Dand’s leukemia returned and is now in another fight for his life.
“Chris has given the last 25 years to our community, and he’s never asked for anything in return,” says Franklin Square and Munson Fire Department Chief Joe Gerrato.
Dand needs a stem cell donor to save his life, so the fire department is hosting an event for people to swab their cheek and register to be his match.
Franklin Square and Munson Fire Department Capt. James Deligio is begging the community to come out.
“It’s moments of your time and it can give an opportunity to Chris or anyone else who has this illness to live again,” Deligio says.
The “Be the Match” event will be held at the Franklin Square and Munson Fire Department Wednesday from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Those who cannot make it to the event can go to their website to get a swab kit mailed directly to them.
