Deborah “Debbie” Stanley has been with the Fort Worth (TX) Fire Department (FWFD) for 28+ years. She currently holds the rank of engineer. She spent 19 years in Operations and the last nine years in the Fire Alarm Office as a dispatcher.
In early September of this year, Debbie was diagnosed with breast cancer. She underwent surgery at Baylor All Saints Medical Center in Fort Worth, Texas. The initial surgery was successful, with good news that the cancer had not spread.
Debbie recently received her final pathology report, which confirmed the preliminary diagnosis that no other cancer was detected and she is considered to be cancer free. She has passed her message on to us, her fire department family, in hopes that we encourage preventative measures in our own families. She has also agreed to share her message with the public. Please see her heartfelt message below.
NOTE: For the third year, the FWFD and the Fort Worth Firefighters Association have adopted the national fire service initiative, “Cares Enough to Wear Pink”. As in years past, the beneficiary of our support is the Joan Katz Breast Center at Baylor All Saints Medical Center.
Debbie has supported this cause from the beginning and received services at the Joan Katz Breast Center, which provides services and programs to patients and their families from the moment of diagnosis through wellness. These services are available at no charge to patients regardless of where they choose to receive their direct medical treatment.
The Department will be hosting three open houses during the month of October. Breast cancer screenings will be offered at each event and attendees will have access to fire prevention and emergency preparedness information.
Also, six front line apparatus have been striped in pink to support the awareness campaign. Two other apparatus are similarly decorated for use at special events throughout the month. The funds to decorate the fire trucks were provided by the Fort Worth Professional Firefighters Association. On the open house dates, the Department has approved for all on duty fire personnel to wear special t-shirts provided by the Association.
The open houses on the dates listed below, all events are from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.:
- October 6 Station 3 4700 Ramey Ave, 76119
- October 13 Station 17 212 E. Felix St., 76115
- October 20 Station 25 3801 N. Main St., 76106
Members of the media are invited to attend any of these events.
From: Debbie Stanley Subject: Breast Cancer Awareness
Since October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I would like to share my story with you.
Mammogram, what a pain right? Uncomfortable, inconvenient, embarrassing, expensive; I have heard and used all of these same excuses for years. However the adjectives that best describe your yearly mammogram are; ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY!!!!!
I went in for my yearly mammogram on Aug. 30, 2012; 1 year to the day from my last mammogram.
I received a call the next morning, which happened to be the start of a 4 day Labor Day weekend and was asked to come in for an ultrasound to check several “areas of concern” on Tuesday. Four long days of waiting, wondering, and asking “Why, couldn’t they just wait until Tuesday to call?” Don’t they know when you get a call with “areas of concern” you naturally think the worst, or at least, that’s what I thought.
Tuesday finally rolled around, and I and my husband Ben, showed up for the test. The technician located the areas of concern and took pictures for the radiologist to review. A few moments later, the radiologist came in and repeated the test. She showed me three small areas and advised me that a biopsy of each would be necessary to check for a malignancy.
I was upset to say the least, then after regaining my composure I asked for her opinion of the possibility of them being cancerous. She took my hand, and told me that in her opinion there was a 98% chance they would be malignant.
This diagnosis was particularly terrifying for me and my husband, because in 1988 he lost his 34 year old wife and close friend of mine to breast cancer.
After several agonizing days, I received conformation “I HAVE CANCER!”
Two days later; I finally got some positive news, I had “Stage-1 cancer” and it would be treatable with surgery. I am now preparing for surgery and I am confident in my complete recovery even though it will be a long process.
I cannot emphasize enough the importance of going in for your yearly mammogram (or for your family), I am convinced that doing so “SAVED MY LIFE!” Please, brothers encourage your wives, mothers and sisters and daughters to do this annually. Sisters, you as well!
It may very well save a loved one, or your life, like it has mine.
Sincerely, your sister in fire service,
Engineer Debbie Stanley
Fort Worth Fire Department
Fire Alarm Office
