Margie Favro, Breast Cancer Survivor | SFFCPF Board Member

Our November 2023 blog by Kailin Waterman (SFFD Rescue 1) emphasized the importance of each of us being proactive in our own health and awareness. I am supporting his message again this month with specific focus on women firefighters. As studies have proven, women firefighters face high exposure to toxic PFAS chemicals, which have been linked directly to breast cancer.

According to the United Fire Service Women (UFSW) website, women make up 15.3% of the SFFD. The breast cancer statistic in the SFFD is a rate six times higher than pre-menopausal women in the general population.

The San Francisco Firefighters Cancer Prevention Foundation (SFFCPF) and the UFSW continue to bring attention to concerns about breast cancer among female firefighters through a combination of education, advocacy, partnership, and funding works to prevent unnecessary exposures to carcinogenic toxin for firefighters on the job.

Cristina Zammarchi, SFFD Station 16 with 18 years of service was diagnosed with Stage 2 breast cancer in November 2022. She has a message to share with her firefighter sisters based on her recent experience.

“Be diligent and take the extra time you need  to follow preventative guidelines. Always shower after returning from a fire. Change into clean clothes. Follow policies on washing/wearing turnouts.”

Cristina, a mother of four young daughters:  Gianna (age 9), twins, Mia and Gabriella (age 8), and Evelyn who is just 4 years old—found her breast lump through self-exam.

“If you feel something, don’t hold off on getting it checked.”

Annual mammograms are a very important way to being proactive with your health. I am a two-time breast cancer survivor (2002 and 2022) and both of my tumors were found by mammogram. Yes, it’s an exam that we don’t look forward to, but a critical tool for saving lives. It’s important to detect breast cancer early which typically has very good results when found early.

Breast cancer screening is recommended at age 40 due to the high rates of breast cancer in women in the fire department.

Cristina will be returning to work in January 2024 after 14 months of treatment.  She is looking forward to getting “back to normal” and living a full life with her husband, Erik, SFFD Station 17, and her beautiful daughters.

Cristina is also very thankful for the amazing care she received through the efforts of Judy Lynch and Nick Oxford, SFFCPF Health Navigators, among others. Everything went smoothly, from receiving excellent care from UCSF to coordinating with the Worker’s Comp. system.

‘Be diligent,” Cristina says.

Take her advice.