By Anne Gagliano
Eddie Buchanan is an impressive firefighter with an incredible resume. He’s the division chief of Hanover (VA) Fire & EMS, the author of Volunteer Training Officer’s Handbook, and a well-respected instructor at FDIC. He’s the recipient of many awards including the George D. Post Instructor of the Year Award, which he received at FDIC 2015. He is a past president of the ISFSI and currently serves on the advisory board of Fire Engineering, FDIC, NFPA Tech, and a variety of other boards and committees too numerous to list. Eddie was instrumental in the initial development of the firefighter survival program in Virginia, “Mayday—Firefighter Down,” and he created the acronym “SLICE-RS.” And on top of all this, he’s just a really cool guy.
But as prominent as Chief Buchanan is in the fire world, in the world of rock-n-roll, he’s upstaged by his talented sister Cat Buchanan, a.k.a., Rosie Soul. Eddie is the drummer in her band, Rosie Soul and the Rock & Roll Cowboys, where he’s been backing up his sister for many years now. The Virginia band has an impeccable reputation for delivering an intense, high-energy rock-n-roll show that audiences instantly connect with. And the show stealer, hands down, is singer/songwriter Rosie herself. Her gravely, Janice Joplin-style voice and enthusiastic performances are absolutely mesmerizing. She truly does perform with heart and with soul—just as her stage name implies. Numerous gigs throughout the United States and Canada, as well as TV and radio appearances, demonstrate just how popular the band has become. And rightly so—they’re really good! (Check out their Web site HERE.)
I guess “awesomeness” truly does run in families. Eddie and his sister Cat/Rosie Soul are a prime example of this. Both are talented in their professional lives, and both are accomplished musicians. And now, because of Rosie’s incredible courage, both are instrumental in saving lives. In a recent e-mail, Eddie writes: “We had to stand the band down for a bit—my sister was diagnosed with breast cancer. I share this with you because we spend a lot of time talking about firefighter cancer, which is great! We definitely should! But don’t forget to send your better half for regular checks also. She was reluctant to go, much like firefighters are, but because she did, she may live to sing again. Moral of the story is—get checked regularly.”
Firefighters, take note. It was Rosie’s fiancé, band guitarist Jaime Lloyd, who insisted she go in for testing. As Eddie stated in his e-mail, please encourage your spouse to do this, as unfortunately, loved ones get cancer too. One in eight women will develop breast cancer; 231,840 cases of invasive cancer are expected for 2015, with an additional 60,290 noninvasive. It is the most common cancer for women. Your risk for breast cancer doubles if you have a first-degree relative (mother, sister, daughter), but 85% of cancer occurs in women with no family history at all. That’s the bad news. But the good news is this: Death rates from breast cancer have dropped steadily since 1989, most significantly for women under age 50, due to advanced treatments and early detection.
Breast cancer can be toxin-related. Toxins are present at fire scenes today. So what this means for you, firefighters, is this: Be careful not to bring those toxins home with you. Wash your bunkers for her sake as well as for yours. Don’t ever let your loved ones ride around in the car with unwashed bunkers, as the confined space can increase exposure. And remember to wash that hood as well—it often gets neglected. My firefighter also washes his uniform at the station if he’s been in a fire—he doesn’t bring it home unwashed to be tossed in with the family laundry. It’s a little gesture of love. And always shower after a fire—toxins can remain on the skin, passing them from you to the ones you love. (For a more in-depth look at firefighter cancer, read my past columns, “What Every Firefighter’s Spouse Should Know About Cancer, Part 1” and “What Every Firefighter’s Spouse Should Know About Cancer, Part 2.”)
I’ve made my firefighter get all the tests—skin, colon, and prostate—with much grumbling and resistance he went, and he’s going to go again. But he has made me go as well—and because so, I avoided uterine cancer. An irregular pap indicated I had precancerous cells, and because it was caught early, I never developed the disease that killed my grandmother before I ever got to meet her. Firefighter couples, urge each other to get regular check-ups; what’s good for the goose is good for the gander!
Rosie Soul bravely shared with us an update of her progress for this story. She’s uncomfortable being in the spotlight for such personal reasons, but she wishes to encourage others by taking some of the “mystery” out of breast cancer. She had a double mastectomy in August, and it was pretty rough. The surgery lasted all day and was followed the next day by another surgery to control the bleeding. It has been very challenging, both physically and psychologically, but as Eddie writes, “She is tough and doing well.” And because the disease was caught so early, her prognosis is very good.
Rosie is scheduled for reconstructive surgery in October, which is even more invasive and difficult than the first procedure. She will spend a few days in ICU with an extended recovery time. But she and Eddie already have the “itch” to play and the “urge to perform” and hopefully, very soon, they will.
Cancer is scary stuff. No one wants to go through unpleasant testing and possible surgeries. But life is so precious—don’t take any chances. And because of people like Rosie Soul, light is being brought to this darkness. Her example, her courage, and her willingness to share such personal information help take some of the fear out of the process, as the unknown can be so overwhelming. Strong, beautiful Rosie with the sweet smile is an inspiration to her family; her fans; and, by extension, firefighters everywhere. Take action as she did for yourselves and for your loved ones. Be as proactive with disease as you are with fighting fire.
Anne Gagliano has been married to Captain Mike Gagliano of the Seattle (WA) Fire Department for 30 years. She and her husband lecture together on building and maintaining a strong marriage.
