A local firefighter is facing a Stage 4 Cancer diagnosis, and wants to raise awareness of risks for other men and women on the job.
Jeremy McKay learned the news less than two weeks ago—he had Adenocarcinoma in his stomach, which had spread to other parts of his body.
“You never feel like it’s going to be you,” he said. McKay, a father of three, has worked for Clay County Fire Rescue for more than 12 years, and loved every day on job.
Like other firefighters, the otherwise healthy 44-year old is now raising the question of whether he was exposed to toxins on the job.
“It’s definitely been an eye opener,” said McKay. “I hope it opens up a lot more eyes than just my own.”
Action News Jax has reported that firefighters have a 9-percent higher risk of cancer than the rest of the population.