ABOUT SEASON OF STORIES
WHO WE ARE
Season of Stories is a collective of storytellers who are rooted in the traditions of hunting and conservation; using their passion to help fund the availability of cancer screenings for first responders. Thru our many exciting fundraising efforts, we’re going to raise awareness of the need for first responders to get vital pre-cancer screening. And most importantly, we’re going to work to help fund the underfunded fire departments to get these important screenings for their members.
OUR WHY
In late 2020, Flower Mound, TX Firefighter Wade Cannon (31 Yrs of age) began experiencing alarming digestive symptoms. Upon meeting with his Primary Care Physician, they determined that he was “too young” to possibly have any serious problems and brushed it off as temporary.
The problems didn’t go away. He requested a colonoscopy among any other types of screening, and was met with an insurance brick wall. No familial background of colorectal issues, and far too young to meet the FD insurance’s current age threshold that would have covered the screening. So he chose to bite the bullet and pay outofpocket for a colonoscopy. The procedure confirmed that, yes, there were real problems happening inside of his body.
At age 31, Wade was diagnosed with Stage 4 Occupational Colon Cancer and so began his fight. Over the course of 2 years, Wade battled thru multiple surgeries, over 20 aggressive rounds of chemotherapy, and a barrage of medical trials. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to stop the spread.
Almost 2 years to the day, Wade lost his personal fight with cancer. But that’s just the fight everyone knew about. He also spent 2 yrs battling insurance and policies that allowed for this to happen. He also spent that time spreading awareness of what has now become the number 1 cause of death among first responders. CANCER! Through his work to educate fellow firefighters about the hidden dangers they were all facing day in and day out, he was able to inspire many of his brothers to get vital precancer screenings. And because of that, a couple of them actually caught precancerous polyps in time to treat them before they became very very serious.
When Wade was diagnosed, it starting ringing an alarm bell to his department that these things could be prevented thru regular screening. And Flower Mound implemented policies and budgeting that covered this screening for these men and women that put their lives on the line for all of us in terrifying situations. Situations that constantly expose them to carcinogens that ultimately caused the cancer to grow in his body.