Orlando firefighter returns to duty after stage 4 cancer diagnosis
Orlando firefighter returns to duty after stage 4 cancer diagnosis
More than a year after being diagnosed with cancer, Orlando firefighter Juwan VanBuren has returned to work following months of chemotherapy and is now in remission.
ORLANDO, Fla. - More than a year after being diagnosed with cancer, an Orlando firefighter has returned to work.
Juwan VanBuren has completed months of chemotherapy and is now in remission.
What they're saying:
VanBuren, 34, spent the past year battling Hodgkin lymphoma, a fight that at one point worsened rapidly.
"When we spoke, I was stage two Hodgkin lymphoma… and then within two weeks of being discharged, I actually advanced to stage four," VanBuren said.
After seven months of chemotherapy, VanBuren completed treatment, rang the ceremonial bell marking the end of chemotherapy and recently reunited with his fellow firefighters at the Orlando Fire Department.
Asked about the smile on his face during his return, VanBuren's answer was simple.
"Just happy to be here," he said.
VanBuren has been a firefighter for six years, previously serving in Hillsborough and Brevard counties before joining the Orlando Fire Department.
Although Florida provides cancer benefits for many full-time firefighters, VanBuren said moving between departments left him ineligible for financial assistance. Instead, fellow firefighters and members of the community rallied around him during treatment.
"That reminded me the why I do what I do. So it definitely was very nice, especially being in the hospital bed, I'd probably say one of my most vulnerable moments of my life. And to know everybody was here to have my back was definitely one of the things that kept me pushing," VanBuren said.
While he is back at work, VanBuren's recovery is not over. He still has three tumors in his lungs and expects to undergo additional surgeries. For now, he is assigned to light duty until doctors clear him to return to full firefighting responsibilities.
Despite the challenges ahead, VanBuren is already planning the next step in his career.
"Since I've been home, I've actually taken a couple more state certifications, and now I'm working on my officer certifications to become a lieutenant hopefully," he said.
VanBuren was welcomed back by coworkers throughout the fire station, many stopping to embrace him as he returned to duty after a year-long battle with cancer.
The Source: This story was written based on information shared by Orlando firefighter Juwan VanBuren.