OXFORD – 23-year old Todd Harvey has never been a member of the volunteer fire service in any capacity, but that isn’t stopping the Oxford Fire Department from spearheading the effort to raise money to help the young man battle life-threatening cancer.
Regardless of whether or not Harvey himself has been a part of the department, he is still part of the “family,” explained Oxford Fire Chief Ron Martin. He and the volunteer organization of which he is a part pride themselves in taking care of their own.
“If somebody needs help, we’re going to help them,” Martin said, explaining that while Todd Harvey is not a volunteer himself, he comes from a family with a strong tradition in the fire service. Take his grandfather, Bill Harvey Sr., for example, who was honored earlier this year for 60 years of service with the Oxford Fire Department. Todd’s father, Bill Harvey Jr., has been an active member of the department for 38 years. During that tenure, he served for 10 years as chief and has acted as a Chenango County arson investigator for 16 years.
“Todd is as much a part of the family as (his father),” said Martin, who he described as a “cornerstone” of the Oxford department.
It has been over a year since the Greene graduate was first diagnosed with melanoma, a life-threatening form of skin cancer, explained Oxford Emergency Squad Captain Mark Forrest.
While Todd initially responded well to treatments, Forrest said, earlier this summer he was told that the melanoma, which had started as a spot on his ear lobe, had metastasized to his lung. The young man is now undergoing a more aggressive form of treatment, known as interleukin-2 therapy, at Duke University Hospital in North Carolina.
According to online cancer treatment resources, this therapy involves the injection of cytokine, a protein normally produced by the body in small amounts. The cytokine works to boost the body’s T cells and other components of the immune system which then in turn attack the cancer cells.
The Harvey family has been traveling back and forth to North Carolina in order for Todd to undergo the treatment. While he is receiving the treatment, he must stay in the hospital’s intensive care unit so he can be properly monitored, Martin added. The cost to the Harveys, both emotionally and financially, but they have not given up.
As soon as they learned of the changes in Todd’s condition, members of the Oxford Fire Department gathered to determine how they could best support the family which has sacrificed so much for so long for the volunteer fire service.
“The members need to give something back to Bill for what he has given us,” Martin explained.
In late August, just two weeks after hearing the news, 18 members of the department met to discuss ways in which the could help.
“After the first meeting, we had several people that really ran with it,” the chief said.
They quickly learned that they weren’t the only group interested in pulling together to help the Harveys. Other organizations, such as the Red Knights, a motorcycle club comprised of volunteer firefighters and emergency squad members from across Chenango and Broome Counties, had also started talking about ways to raise money for the family.
Rather than continue to work independently, the groups have decided to combine their efforts. The result will be one large benefit spread out over three days, the Oxford chief explained. After carefully checking the calendar to avoid conflicting with other previously planned events, the organizers have chosen to host the Todd Harvey benefit on Friday, Oct. 30, Saturday, Oct. 31 and Sunday, Nov. 1.
The Brisben Fire Department, the American Legion and members of Todd Harvey’s graduating class from Greene have all joined the effort as well. No matter their relationship to the Harvey family, they have a singular purpose.
“We’re looking to raise as much as we possibly can,” explained Martin.
