San Francisco Firefighters Cancer Prevention Foundation

06/17/2026

Firefighter safety does not stop at the scene.

It includes training, gear, exposure reduction, physical readiness, and the health checks that can help identify problems early.

During Firefighter Safety Stand Down week, we are reminding firefighters that prevention is part of readiness.

That means scheduling annual physicals. Talking to a Primary Care Physician. Staying current on cancer screenings. Paying attention to changes in your body instead of brushing them off.

The job is demanding. The exposures are real. Your long-term health deserves the same discipline you bring to every call.

06/12/2026

Firefighters train to stay ready for the job.

But readiness is not only measured in strength, endurance, or time on the stairs.

Annual physicals, cancer screenings, and having a Primary Care Physician are part of staying strong for the long run.

Book the physical. Ask the questions. Stay current.

06/09/2026

After a cancer diagnosis, the next steps can feel overwhelming.
For firefighters and their families, the road through treatment, recovery, follow-up care, and life after cancer can bring questions that are hard to answer alone.

SFFCPF’s Health Navigation program helps firefighters understand next steps, find support, and move through the process with someone in their corner.

We honor every firefighter living with cancer, every firefighter in recovery, and every family walking beside them.
You are not alone.

06/01/2026

May you now rest in Peace, Brother🙏🙏🙏..

Retired San Francisco firefighter Ken Jones left us yesterday, surrounded by his family, after a courageous battle against stage 4 lung cancer...But that was not his only battle...Ken and his wife, retired San Francisco firefighter Helen Horvath, were forced into waging a battle against Blue Shield, his city-provided insurer under a Medicare Advantage plan, after it denied coverage for immunotherapy recommended by his oncologist, UCSF Dr. Mathew Gubens, one of the top Thoracic Medical Oncolgists in the Country.
While going through treatment, Ken and his wife Helen fought to bring this injustice to light so no other individual battling this insidious disease would be denied the treatment that could possibly save their life.
His family, fellow firefighters, Assemblymember Catherine Stefani, and City leaders rallied in support, highlighting the frustrations many face with insurance denials. Ken's case has drawn widespread attention and spurred calls for greater accountability in health care for public servants.
Ken and Helen's advocacy, courage, and refusal to back down will continue to inspire our firefighting community to make positive steps forward to ensure that this injustice does not happen again.

05/13/2026

Behind the scenes with IGNITE.

Dr. Christopher Gardner and Dr. Erica Sonnenburg review a sample for the IGNITE documentary as the study moves into the analysis phase.

The research team is now working with the Sonnenburg Lab to analyze over 800 samples from participating SFFD firefighters, including 412 stool samples and 435 blood samples. The team is beginning to interpret results and draft an academic manuscript for publication. A celebration for all participants to share the findings is planned for late fall.

Thank you to every firefighter who participated. We look forward to sharing the results.

.med

05/13/2026

05/11/2026

“The options for treatment were many and hard to understand. Then I had clarity.”

A cancer diagnosis can bring a lot at once: appointments, scans, treatment options, second opinions, paperwork, and decisions that are hard to make alone.

Health Navigation helps firefighters and their families sort through the next steps, connect with the right resources, ask better questions, and feel less alone through diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up care.

Reach out through the Health Navigation page on our website.

04/28/2026

SFFCPF is partnering with UCSF on the ENGINE Study — free PFAS testing for active SFFD firefighters.

PFAS chemicals build up in firefighters' bodies through gear and exposure on the job. This study is testing whether an existing drug can lower those levels. The foundation is funding blood work for 164 firefighters, and those with the highest PFAS levels will be selected for the study cohort.

- Who: Active SFFD male firefighters with 5+ years on the job
- When: May 11–13, 7:00 AM – 1:00 PM
- Where: Local 798 Union Hall - 325 Newhall St, San Francisco, CA 94124

Sign up for a 5-minute testing slot: https://cal.com/ucsfenginestudy/sffd-pfas-test

04/22/2026

There are nights that stay with you.

This was one of them. A room full of people who care deeply, show up fully, and believe in protecting those who have spent their lives protecting others. There was so much heart in that space, so much gratitude, and so much hope for what’s ahead.

We left feeling inspired, moved, and more committed than ever.

Learn more at sffcpf.org