Pink Heals Tour Picks Up Donated Firetruck in Texas

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Dave Graybill, a firefighter from Arizona, started the Pink Heals Tour in 2007 to inspire men to support the women in their community who are battling cancer. He travels the country in a pink fire engine raising money and spreading cancer awareness. Last week, Graybill went to Tyler, Texas to pick up his sixth truck, a 1969 fire truck that will join his Pink fleet, according to the Tyler Morning Telegraph.

During the ceremony, Tyler firefighters announced that $20,220 in locally raised donations would be allocated to six charities, $5,055 would be donated to Susan G. Komen for the Cure in Tyler; $5,055 to the American Cancer Society; $1,250 to the East Texas Medical Center Foundation for its "Pink Ribbon Getaway" and the "Great Getaway" programs; $1,250 to the Trinity Mother Frances Health System Foundation for its "Hopeful Journey" and genetic testing programs; $500 to the Cancer Foundation for Life's "Fit Steps for Life" program; and $500 to the "Pink Heals Tour", Guardians of the Ribbon. The remaining $6,610 will be used to start Tyler Firefighters CARE (Cancer Awareness and Relief Effort) fund to help employees and their family members diagnosed with cancer, according to the newspaper.

This was the second truck donated to the tour from Tyler. Last October, the city gave Graybill a truck named "Tonya" after the wife of Tyler firefighter Wes Malcomb, who died of cancer, according to KYTX. This truck, donated by Sam and Connie Greenberg is being named Chance, after a 5-year old St. Louis boy, according to the paper. Before this, all the other trucks were named after women who have battled cancer.

"Chance, I met on the tour last year and he has a brain tumor behind his eyes so he's blind after his treatments," Graybill told KYTX. "I've got to have a truck for children's cancer," he added. Graybill and Chance the truck headed back to Arizona. This is a post from Graybill on the Pink Heals Facebook Page "We are home with 'Chance'. Although we broke down twice and needed to be towed each time, it was a great experience. We pushed 'Chance' to the limit, he was a little shy at first, threw a few temper tantrums but what a great truck!!!! Can't wait to get 'Chance' all painted up and drive him across the country, but most importantly to take the real Chance for a ride on his very own fire truck."


Author:Barbara Brooks - FDNNTV.com