A couple years ago, Matt Million helped orchestrate a Super Bowl trip for his close friend, a fellow South Kitsap firefighter who was diagnosed with cancer.
Next weekend, Million will be on the receiving end of that kind of compassion and generosity when his former colleagues at Olympic Ambulance hold a fundraiser to help his family with medical bills from his son’s cancer treatment.
Matt plans to be at the inaugural OlyRun with his son, 9-year-old Hunter, while his wife, Katie, will participate in the 5k/10k run/walk at Lions Park in Bremerton on Sept. 17.
Hunter was diagnosed earlier this year with a rare form of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma called Burkitt’s, which is a very aggressive type of cancer. But after major abdominal surgery at Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital in Tacoma and subsequent chemotherapy, he seems on the road to a remarkable recovery.
“His first CT scan results came back clear,” his dad said Tuesday. “It’s just incredible.”
While Hunter missed baseball season last spring, he’s back into playing soccer and was able to return to school this week, joining his fourth-grade classmates at South Colby Elementary School.
“His prognosis is really good,” Matt Million said, although he noted that cancer treatment is “a waiting game, and we need a couple more CTs to see if it’s all clear.”
Matt, who’s been with South Kitsap Fire & Rescue for 11 years, and his wife, who works as a substitute teacher in the South Kitsap School District, took time off work for a few months when their son was going through treatment.
Matt’s been back on the job since June, and said he appreciates the efforts of the caring folks at Olympic Ambulance, where he used to work as a part-time paramedic, in organizing the fundraiser.
“People are very compassionate,” he said. “There’s still a lot of good left in the world.”
It’s the same kind of compassion that motivated Million and other firefighters to arrange a trip to the 2010 Super Bowl in Miami for Jamel Linzsey, who died in July.
Olympic Ambulance, a private company that serves Kitsap and four other counties, plans to make the OlyRun an annual, family-oriented fundraising event to promote healthy living.
Registration starts at 8 a.m. on the day of the event, with the run/walk starting at 10 and kids’ races from 11 a.m. to noon. The event will also include live music, a raffle and food vendors.
Registration is available online at www.olyrun.com, or at Olympic Fitness locations in Port Orchard, Silverdale Cyclery in Silverdale, Poulsbo Running and The Zone in Poulsbo. The cost for pre-registration is $10 for adults and $5 for children, with a maximum of $30 for a family. Registration prices will increase the day of the race.
More information is available at the website, or by calling Olympic Ambulance at (360) 377-7777.
OlyRun
What: 5k run/walk with a 10k option
When: Sept. 17; registration at 8 a.m., run/walk begins at 10
Where: Lions Park, 251 Lebo Blvd. in Bremerton
Why: Fundraiser organized by Olympic Ambulance to help the family of South Kitsap firefighter/paramedic Matt Million, whose son Hunter is recovering from cancer
Info: www.olyrun.com or (360) 377-7777
