By Hub City Times staff

MARSHFIELD – The Richfield Fire Department is banding together in a campaign to help those affected by childhood cancers.

“Our campaign started as a result of Krystin Eckes, Miss Wisconsin for America Strong 2021, reaching out to do a picture with our department.  Her platform that she ran on was Childhood Cancer Awareness and wanted to get pictures with fire departments in pink shirts,” said Richfield Fire Chief Josh Sabo.

“Her link to the fire service is her father is a firefighter for Wisconsin Rapids Fire Department and she is also a paramedic.

“When our department decided to participate in the picture, we needed to get shirts. Our group decided that we would open up purchasing of the pink shirts to raise money for someone affected by cancer in our community and our Cancer Awareness Shirt Campaign was created. “

The department preordered 110 shirts, and then an additional 50 to sell. The proceeds from the 160 shirts will go to the Ella James family.

“Ella is a 15 year old that lives in the township of Richfield that is courageously fighting medulloblastoma, the most common form of brain cancer in children. Ella has just finished her five rounds of chemotherapy treatments that took place at the Milwaukee Children’s Hospital,” Sabo added.

The department still has shirts for sale. Those interested should contact the department at [email protected]. The shirts are pink with “Firefighters Against Cancer: emblazoned across the back.