meet colin sinclair
Colin is a Senior Firefighter stationed at Fire and Rescue NSW’s Gordon Fire Station in the Upper North Shore of Sydney. Colin started at the FRNSW State Training College on 9th September 2014 and graduated on 11th December 2014 and was stationed at Parramatta Fire Station before moving on to Cabramatta, Smithfield, Ryde and Eastwood Fire Stations.
As a male in his mid-40’s Colin underwent his yearly blood test and his doctor suggested that given his age it would be beneficial and recommended that he get a PSA test. A PSA test is a blood test used primarily to screen for prostate cancer. The test measures the amount of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in your blood. PSA is a protein produced by both cancerous and noncancerous tissue in the prostate, a small gland that sits below the bladder in men.
Despite Colin’s age, he had no symptoms, no family history, was otherwise fit and healthy and had no prior employment that would knowingly expose him to carcinogenic environments that could be the catalyst for a positive result.
Surprisingly, and like a kick to the guts, Colin’s test came back high.Further tests were required. In order to ascertain the cause of the high presence of PSA’s, a biopsy, a procedure to remove samples of suspicious tissue from the prostate, was performed. The analysis of these samples confirmed that there were 3 different sites of cancer on the prostate.
Colin’s options were somewhat limited “because of my age Chemo and radiation therapy weren’t an option” and his medical advice was to undergo a radical prostatectomy. A “radical prostatectomy is an operation to remove the prostate gland and tissues surrounding it. This usually includes the seminal vesicles and some nearby lymph nodes. Radical prostatectomy can cure prostate cancer in men whose cancer is limited to the prostate.” (Webmd.com, 2021)
Surprisingly, and like a kick to the guts, Colin’s test came back high.Further tests were required. In order to ascertain the cause of the high presence of PSA’s, a biopsy, a procedure to remove samples of suspicious tissue from the prostate, was performed. The analysis of these samples confirmed that there were 3 different sites of cancer on the prostate.
Colin’s options were somewhat limited “because of my age Chemo and radiation therapy weren’t an option” and his medical advice was to undergo a radical prostatectomy. A “radical prostatectomy is an operation to remove the prostate gland and tissues surrounding it. This usually includes the seminal vesicles and some nearby lymph nodes. Radical prostatectomy can cure prostate cancer in men whose cancer is limited to the prostate.” (Webmd.com, 2021)
Despite Colin’s age, he had no symptoms, no family history, was otherwise fit and healthy
Presumptive Legislation
It was at this point that a colleague of Colin advised that he might be eligible for medical coverage under the Presumptive Legislation.What is presumptive legislation?
The Workers Compensation Legislation Amendment (Firefighters) Bill 2018 was passed by the NSW Parliament on 22 November 2018 and enables eligible firefighters diagnosed with any of 12 specified primary cancers, and who meet the corresponding minimum qualifying periods of service, to automatically be presumed to have developed the cancer because of their firefighting work or volunteer service. The law has changed to simplify the process for eligible NSW firefighters to make claims for workers compensation entitlements and support, if diagnosed with a specified primary cancer.
Brett Carle from the Firefighter C.A.N.C.E.R. Coalition states that “Essentially this means that a firefighter can claim compensation for a range of cancers without having to prove a direct cause. Prior to this legislation, the onus was on the firefighter to prove that their cancer was related to their work. It is now the onus of the insurance company to confirm whether the firefighter did or did not contract their cancer through their place of work. But is highly dependent on the years of service for coverage.”
Firefighters are exposed to workplaces overflowing with toxic gases and carcinogen exposure. Areas we once thought were safe on the fireground are now being shown by scientific research that they too present a far more dangerous environment than should be acceptable. What this leads to is firefighters engaging in activities that while complying with organisational policy and procedures may actually leave them unnecessarily exposed to contracting cancer.
He made a claim on Presumptive Legislation but the claim was denied as expected. The issue we see here for Colin is that he has 6 years of service, yet Presumptive Legislation requires him to have 15 years of service for his Prostate Cancer to be covered. This doesn’t mean that Colin won’t be able to pursue a claim, but rather the onus is on him to prove that the cancer is due to occupational exposures. The decision is still pending.
The Workers Compensation Legislation Amendment (Firefighters) Bill 2018 was passed by the NSW Parliament on 22 November 2018 and enables eligible firefighters diagnosed with any of 12 specified primary cancers, and who meet the corresponding minimum qualifying periods of service, to automatically be presumed to have developed the cancer because of their firefighting work or volunteer service. The law has changed to simplify the process for eligible NSW firefighters to make claims for workers compensation entitlements and support, if diagnosed with a specified primary cancer.
Brett Carle from the Firefighter C.A.N.C.E.R. Coalition states that “Essentially this means that a firefighter can claim compensation for a range of cancers without having to prove a direct cause. Prior to this legislation, the onus was on the firefighter to prove that their cancer was related to their work. It is now the onus of the insurance company to confirm whether the firefighter did or did not contract their cancer through their place of work. But is highly dependent on the years of service for coverage.”
- Primary site brain cancer (Service Required for Coverage 5 years)
- Primary leukaemia (Service Required for Coverage 5 years)
- Primary site breast cancer (Service Required for Coverage 10 years)
- Primary site testicular cancer (Service Required for Coverage 10 years)
- Primary site bladder cancer (Service Required for Coverage 15 years)
- Primary site kidney cancer (Service Required for Coverage 15 years)
- Primary non-Hodgkins lymphoma (Service Required for Coverage 15 years)
- Myeloma (Service Required for Coverage 15 years)
- Primary site prostate cancer (Service Required for Coverage 15 years)
- Primary site ureter cancer (Service Required for Coverage 15 years)
- Primary site colorectal cancer (Service Required for Coverage 15 years)
- Primary site oesophageal cancer (Service Required for Coverage 25 years)
Firefighters are exposed to workplaces overflowing with toxic gases and carcinogen exposure. Areas we once thought were safe on the fireground are now being shown by scientific research that they too present a far more dangerous environment than should be acceptable. What this leads to is firefighters engaging in activities that while complying with organisational policy and procedures may actually leave them unnecessarily exposed to contracting cancer.
He made a claim on Presumptive Legislation but the claim was denied as expected. The issue we see here for Colin is that he has 6 years of service, yet Presumptive Legislation requires him to have 15 years of service for his Prostate Cancer to be covered. This doesn’t mean that Colin won’t be able to pursue a claim, but rather the onus is on him to prove that the cancer is due to occupational exposures. The decision is still pending.
The Treatment
Colin underwent surgery to have his prostate completely removed. He spent 5 days in hospital post surgery and extended time was necessary as more than the normal amount of nodes were removed. This also contributed to higher than usual pain levels. On his return home, Colin spent an additional 2 weeks laying horizontal with limited movement.
It’s now nearly 4 weeks post surgery and Colin is up and about and “feeling part human again”. He recognises that there is still a fair way to go to recover physically as there are still moderate side effects from the procedure and mentally it has been “pretty tough, not just on me but my wife and my two young kids aged 6 and 3”.
“The whole thing blindsided me and felt surreal....”
Not long after Colin’s diagnosis he spoke with a colleague and discussed his situation and relayed the events of his diagnosis and suggested that this person also get tested. The fact that Colin did not have any symptoms nor predispositions to cancer, yet got it anyway made him acknowledge the very real possibility that many guys may have it, yet don’t know and even worse, don’t have the catalyst to motivate them to get tested.
Colin’s colleague went and got tested the very next day and, just like Colin, returned a high positive result. Surgery was performed days later and he has recently just finished a round of chemo.
The Message
Colin’s advice for everyone, firefighters, brothers, fathers, males everywhere is that “Cancer is out there”. “We need to get the message across to all for people to get tested and I can only hope that sharing my story will urge others to get tested too.”
The Firefighter C.A.N.C.E.R. Coalition can assist firefighters with education around pathways of exposures and how to minimise those exposures in the day to day activities and arduous tasks.
Research your fire services policies on carinogen minimisation and also what support networks they have in place for cancer survivors. You won't know which fire will give you cancer, from that dirty car fire, food stuffs or factory fire. Treat them all as the toxic, poisonous workplaces they are and protect yourself and your colleagues accordingly.
