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West Shore firefighters band together to support men’s health

More than $8,200 raised for Movember campaign
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Twenty-nine firefighters from the View Royal, Colwood and Langford fire departments participated in the annual Movember campaign this year, where they raised more than $8,200 for men’s health issues. (Contributed photo)

West Shore firefighters raised thousands of dollars in support of men’s health issues in the month of November.

As part of Movember, 29 firefighters from the View Royal, Langford and Colwood fire departments grew out their staches and raised more than $8,200 for men’s issues such as prostate and testicular cancer, mental health and suicide prevention.

“We’re really pleased and surprised by the support that we got from all the people that donated,” said View Royal Capt. Troy Mollin, noting money was raised through online donations from families and friends, through the department’s pumpkin smash after Halloween, and a cask night with Four Mile Pub.

While View Royal and Colwood have participated in friendly Movember rivalries for the past several years, this is the first time all three departments have teamed up for one campaign.

The campaign, Westshore Firefighter Mo’s for Corrigall, was named after Darryl Corrigall, a Colwood firefighter who passed away from cancer in 2014.

“Many of us have a personal connection to people in the fire service and outside the fire service that have been affected by men’s health issues,” said Mollin, who lost his uncle, Maurice, last year to prostate cancer.

“We have other teams that do stair climbs for lung cancer, leukemia and lymphoma. We’re very involved in that world especially because of the nature of the work that we do, where we’re exposed to a little bit more … carcinogens that cause those things. We see colleagues that are affected by it.”

The team also joined the Great Canadian Fire Challenge, in which departments across the country raised funds for Movember. Of 36 teams, the West Shore group finished sixth behind the Toronto, Edmonton, Port Coquitlam, Saskatoon, and Burlington fire departments.


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kendra.wong@goldstreamgazette.com