CT Scan Leads To Injured Wildland Firefighter's Cancer Diagnosis
- A 37-year-old smokejumper, Bel Elkind, sustained a dislocated hip and a pelvic fracture on May 15 during a training parachute jump. Now, months later, the loving husband and father of two sons has opened up about his diagnosis and how a CT Scan caught the cancer in a treatable, early stage.
- Symptoms of thyroid cancer can sometimes be hard to detect yourself, as they can often mirror the common cold. These signs may include difficulty swallowing, changes to your voice, and a consistent cough.
- Since these symptoms can be confused with a cold, it's important to be vigilant about your health and speak up if they continue without explanation.
Elkind, who was seriously injured on a jump landing during his ninth year as a smokejumper, needed to have three plates and 10 screws put in his body to repair the six fractures sustained in the accident, according to WildFireToday.
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Elkind is a dad to two boys, ages 4 and 1, who he shares with his wife Amber. The 15-year Wildland firefighter veteran is also an advocate for improving working conditions and pay for his coworkers.
Both he and his wife Amber opened up to NBC News on how they felt when doctors found a nodule on his thyroid, and how cancer has recently become a covered illness for Wildland firefighters.
Despite his injuries and cancer, Elkind told the news outlet he’s planning to go back to work and continue to be exposed to smoke because he doesn’t have another option.
Related: 7 Common Signs of Thyroid Cancer & How to Spot Them
Elkind told WildFireToday that he agreed to interview with NBC News out of concern for his friends working in smoke or other hazards that may have undetected cancer.
He explained that his thyroid nodule was detected by a CT Scan, which exposed his body to approximately 150 X-Rays worth of radiation. In regards to what tests the US Fire Service (USFS) should conduct for workers, Elkind said, “Proper surveillance would most likely consist of yearly lung capacity tests (Spirometry), Hearing tests (Audiology), and a Chest X-Ray that could be done every 3 years or so.”
“That's the likely outcome if the USFS decides that smoke causes cancer and begins a medical surveillance program, but it still wouldn't have caught a thyroid nodule,” he added.
“I'm lucky that mine was caught. It really isn't a big deal and I'm hesitant to even say I have cancer when I will have a small surgery to remove half my thyroid and hopefully just move on with my life. Others have had it much worse,” Elkind continued.
“I'm happy to let everyone know that DOL accepted my claim and determined that the cancer was related to my work as a wildland firefighter. Meeting with DOL Secretary Marty Walsh back in DC is something that I was lucky to be a part of and now I'm directly benefiting from it. Thanks to everyone for all the support.”
What is Thyroid Cancer?
Thyroid cancer is a disease that begins in the thyroid gland, which is at the base of the neck. Oftentimes, the cancer will present itself as a large bump (tumor) in the neck.
Symptoms of thyroid cancer can sometimes be hard to detect yourself, as they can often mirror the common cold. These signs may include difficulty swallowing, changes to your voice, and a consistent cough. Since these symptoms can be confused with a cold, it's important to be vigilant about your health and speak up if they continue without explanation.
Be Pushy, Be Your Own Advocate … Don't Settle
It's important to remember that you know your body better than anyone else, and if you feel like something might be wrong it's never a bad idea to speak up and push for answers.
"Most people have no discrete symptoms the majority of cases now are found incidentally," Dr. Allen Ho, a head and neck surgeon at Cedars-Sinai Hospital, tells SurvivorNet. "However, a sizable number of people may first discover their cancer when they feel a bump on their neck. Other possible late symptoms include problems swallowing, the sensation of something in their throat, neck compression when laying flat or voice changes."
Staying Positive During Cancer Treatment
Staying positive during cancer treatment has a bigger impact on results than you may expect. Studies prove that patients who are able to stay upbeat and positive often have better treatment outcomes, and that's why mindset and attitude can be extremely valuable tools. For those battling cancer, doing activities you love can sometimes bring some much-needed positivity into your day. Whether it's a picnic with friends, hike in the great outdoors, or in van Reen's case sharing some lighthearted TikToks, it's so important to find those special pockets of joy.
"We know from good studies that emotional health is associated with survival, meaning better quality of life is associated with better outcomes," Dr. Dana Chase, a gynecologic oncologist at Arizona Center for Cancer, told SurvivorNet in a previous interview. "So working on your emotional health, your physical well-being, your social environment [and] your emotional well-being are important and can impact your survival. If that's related to what activities you do that bring you joy, then you should try to do more of those activities."
Taking care of your mental health while you are going through cancer is certainly a process. People may turn to many different avenues to help them cope, such as traditional therapy, support groups, meditation, and sometimes medical intervention such as antidepressants. When going through cancer, it's important to make sure that these coping mechanisms you have to care for your mental health continue to work throughout the process.
"I think flexibility is really a core of how to manage it," Dr. Samantha Boardman, a New York-based psychiatrist and author, tells SurvivorNet. "Are your coping strategies that you're using now, are they helpful in the way that they were in the past?"
Dr. Boardman encourages people who may be struggling with their mental well-being to take stock of their belief system and ask themselves the following questions:
- Could these beliefs be harming me (like feelings of self-doubt or negativity)?
- Is my mindset holding me back from positive steps forward?
Dr. Boardman suggests working to recognize any negative thoughts that may be making the process of cancer treatment more difficult, and trying to dismantle those to be more "realistically optimistic."
Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff
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