The message was brutally direct.
On T-shirts and bracelets, on social media and on signs, supporters of Bargersville and Whiteland Fire Chief Eric Funkhouser repeated the same phrase: #FUNKCANCER.
Just weeks after Funkhouser was diagnosed with a brain tumor, the Bargersville and Whiteland departments, other fire departments throughout the area and the community in general have swarmed forward to support him. People have rallied around the Funkhouser family, providing meals, doing chores such as mowing the lawn and taking care of issues around the house.
After having surgery on Sept. 16 to remove the tumor, Funkhouser is recovering at Franciscan Health Indianapolis, waiting for test results to determine the severity of the mass.
Bargersville Fire has started a fundraising campaign, selling t-shirts and bracelets emblazoned with #FUNKCANCER. Proceeds will help the family with medical and other costs during the tumultuous time.
“One of the things we’re really good at in the fire service is rallying around our own whenever they face any kind of crisis in their life. So whether its cancer or any other issues that go on in our department, it doesn’t take much to get everybody to step forward and help,” said Mike Pruitt, deputy chief at Bargersville Community Fire Department.
Funkhouser’s ordeal started about three weeks ago. After suffering an emergency medical event, he was taken to Johnson Memorial Health before being transported to Franciscan Health Indianapolis. There, tests revealed a tumor in the front portion of his brain, Pruitt said.
The tumor was operable and appeared to be a slow-growing type, so doctors scheduled surgery to remove it.
When Funkhouser and his wife, Brooke, and two sons Dylan and Caleb, arrived at Franciscan Health Indianapolis on Sept. 16, a crowd of firefighters gathered outside the hospital to cheer him on and wish him well.
A video posted to Bargerville Fire’s Facebook page captured how much the gesture meant to Funkhouser.
“Guys, I just want to say, I love you all. Thank you so much for this — this means the world to me. We’re ready to fight, we’re ready to keep going and we’re ready to keep going and get through this,” he said in the video.
Samples of the tumor have been sent to be further tested to determine the nature and potential severity of the mass, Pruitt said. The tumor was a slow-growing one, so doctors are able to take ample time to test it and identify exactly what type of cancer it is.
Results should be back in about a month.
Pruitt visited Funkhouser at Franciscan Health Indianapolis just days after his surgery, and he appeared to be recovering well.
“He was up walking, talking. So he’s making major strides in his improvement. The staff on-site there was very impressed with the speed of his recovery, just one day after surgery,” he said. “We’ve very optimistic that the end result of this will be good.”
In a best case scenario, Funkhouser could be back to work by mid-October.
“Right now, he’s just in that recovery process, and we’re keeping the ship afloat,” Pruitt said.
Funkhouser and the department has seemingly had the backing of the community and firefighters throughout the state as they’ve navigated the crisis. Messages of support have flooded the department’s and Funkhouser’s social media accounts.
Agencies around Indiana have offered any help needed.
“From the moment his emergency crisis happened, we had people not only from our own agency but from agencies around the state calling to see what they could do to help,” Pruitt said. “So it’s pretty cool when that happens.”
The idea behind the #FUNKCANCER campaign was to provide some additional funds for transportation to doctor’s visits and other costs that insurance aren’t covering currently.
Through Sept. 30, the community can place an order for the navy blue t-shirts and gray silicone bracelets, with proceeds of the drive going to the Funkhouser family.
“It gives everybody the chance to help. A lot of times, they’re not sure how they can help. In these cases, any kind of fundraising you can do to help the family with costs that insurance doesn’t cover is nice,” “People can contribute, and the family can put that money we raise towards other incidentals besides health care.
“That’s pretty important right now, to take any pressure we can offer them.”
While the overall fundraiser is an opportunity to life up the Funkhousers, Pruitt also sees it as an opportunity to raise awareness about the elevated cancer risks that firefighters face.
Cancer caused 66% of the career firefighter line-of-duty deaths from 2002 to 2019, according to data from the International Association of Fire Fighters.
Firefighters have a 9% higher risk of being diagnosed with cancer and a 14% higher risk of dying from cancer than the general U.S. population, according to research by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institute for Occupational Health and Safety.
“Cancer in the fire service is one of the biggest issues we have going on right now, just because of the exposures,” Pruitt said.
HOW TO HELP
Fundraiser for Eric Funkhouser
What: After Funkhouser, Bargersville’s and Whiteland’s fire chief, was diagnosed with a brain tumor and had surgery to remove it, local supporters created a fundraising campaign to help the family with medical costs.
What’s for sale: T-shirts and silicon wrist bands, with with the #FUNKCANCER slogan.
When: Orders can be placed by midnight Sept. 30.
How to order: funkcancer2024.itemorder.com/shop/home
