Photo: kylie
Ben Hodges, a 10 year wildland firefighter veteran, was experiencing very severe pain while on assignment on a desert fire in Nevada in July 2021 and was evacuated to the nearest hospital. After days of appointments, tests, and a biopsy, he learned that he has stage 3 testicular cancer in his lower abdomen and would require chemotherapy and surgery to overcome it. Unfortunately, even though he has been dedicated to this career for a decade, he does not qualify for health coverage benefits as a "seasonal" employee and will therefore have to pay for all of his treatment out of pocket. At the hourly rate he is contracted for, it would take a lifetime to pay back the medical debts. We are starting this fund to help him offset that cost and to help him return to the important work that he loves so much, next fire season.