Hop Highway Brew-Off on June 4th meet Gilbert Aguirre Engineer/Paramedic

Gilbert Aguirre is an Engineer/Paramedic with the city of Goodyear in Arizona. His story goes far beyond the trauma of his diagnosis and fight to survive cancer; and deserves attention.
Gilbert has been in the fire service for over 20 years as a United Goodyear Firefighters L4005 and is a true public servant. He has been married to his beautiful wife Tiffanie for just as long-20 years+, and they have 3 amazing boys.
In May of 2015, Fire Engineer Aguirre was diagnosed with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML)- a type of cancer that starts in the blood-forming cells of the bone marrow, then invades the blood. Aguirre was just 35 years old.
Unfortunately, in 2015 his CML was not immediately considered a work-related illness. Although his cancer (Leukemia) is on the original presumptive cancer bill for work-related cancer, and although he met every criteria, his claim was denied by his City’s workers compensation company.
Ironically, there have been substantive changes to Arizona’s cancer presumption laws for firefighters —in part because Gilbert has spent years lobbying and testifying to protect his fellow firefighters-yet the courts continue to deny his work related claim. A 2021 change in state law makes it easier for firefighters to get workers’ compensation for cancer — they no longer have to prove that the cancer was caused by work-related toxins. But the bill doesn’t contain a retroactivity clause.
Aguirre has been undergoing chemotherapy for CML, while also battling medical bills. Unable to retire because he couldn’t afford insurance, Gilbert has stayed on the job through chemotherapy, exhaustion, illness and other treatments.
The denials of coverage have forced Gilbert and his family to declare bankruptcy. His prescriptions for chemotherapy-which are keeping him alive- cost $15,000 per month. “The expense of that medication is steep. I’ll try to keep working, I guess, until my body can’t hold up any more,” Aguirre said.
At one point in 2018 , Aguirre attempted to go off his chemo medication to see if his body could hold up, but the leukemia came back. “It’s been a long hard eight years – first dealing with my health, trying to stay healthy, and trying to continue to live for my wife, family, and my kids,” he explained.

Your Vista Firefighters hope to ease a bit of the burden with our 6th Annual Hop Highway Brew-Off on June 04, 2023 @Belching Beaver Pub980.
Visit Vistafirefighters.com for tickets or to signup as a home-brewer. ALL proceeds to benefit our two beneficiaries.