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Pink is in, or at least it is for some fire departments.
Some area firefighters traded in their blue shirts for pink ones for the "Cares Enough to Wear Pink" campaign promoting breast cancer awareness.Keller Fire Chief Dan Gaumont said wearing pink isn’t so bad, especially when funds are being raised to help find a cure."We want people to see that we can wear pink, too, and it doesn’t take from our hero status or our 'machoism,’ " he said. "We need to be able to support a project like this and find a cure for cancer."For Debra VanReenen, a Keller fire inspector and 10-year breast cancer survivor, having fellow firefighters wear pink is special."It has been great," she said. "Everyone has been real supportive."VanReenen said the Keller Firefighters Association has sold about $4,000 worth of T-shirts, with all the proceeds going to Susan G. Komen for the Cure and the Firefighters Cancer Support Network."There are city employees that are breast cancer survivors — either personally or know someone in their family who has had it — so it’s been a great event," she said.On Friday, Keller city employees wore the T-shirts to support awareness. Promoting breast cancer awareness became personal to the Hurst Fire Department when Patty Gurley, its administrative assistant, was diagnosed with the disease two years ago."I think the department feels good because they our supporting a good cause and honoring Patty Gurley," said John Brown, Hurst fire chief. "She is the heart of our organization."Gurley, who is in remission, said she is not surprised that the department stepped up to help."They’ve been here for me since I was diagnosed," she said. "It was hard, and yet they were my strength. This is definitely more fun than chemo, but it is not a surprise."Gurley added that the Hurst Fire Department sold more than 100 T-shirts and raised more than $1,000 for Susan G. Komen for the Cure.The North Richland Hills and Southlake fire departments also took part.
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