Local firefighter takes up battle against cancer

As a fireman, Damon Frutos makes his living by saving lives. On Sunday afternoon, he'll exchange his fire hose for an acoustic guitar to help save the lives of children suffering with blood cancer. Frutos will perform at Sisters Coffee Company to raise funds for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS).

His goal is twofold. Frutos must first raise $1,000 in donations in order to earn the privilege of raising more funds; the $1,000 mark qualifies him to register early for the 2015 Scott Firefighter Stairclimb in Seattle, an arduous competition which supports the mission of LLS by raising funds through sponsorships.

Frutos gained inspiration when he met a young leukemia survivor who attends Sisters Elementary School with his son Brennan.

"I was reminded of the impact The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society has had in the lives of those suffering from blood cancer," said Frutos. "Her name is Holly."

Holly Davis, now a first-grader, underwent rigorous treatment for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia and has remained cancer-free since 2011.

Holly's mother, Darcy Davis, noticed the "Firefighter Stairclimb" emblem on the jacket Frutos was wearing, leading to a conversation in front of the elementary school about how, during Holly's fight against leukemia, she had been an honored patient at the Stairclimb. Holly had been amazed to see so many men and women who didn't even know her, fighting to help her win her battle.

Every March, Stairclimb competitors, loaded down with their fire gear, scale the 69 flights of stairs and 1,311 steps to reach the observation deck of the 788-foot-tall Columbia Center in downtown Seattle - the second tallest building west of the Mississippi. Frutos had hoped to participate in this year's Stairclimb, but the event has become so popular that registration fills up in less than 15 minutes.

"I was not able to pull on my gear and participate along with my fellow firefighters this year," said Frutos.

Hence, he tuned his guitar and planned a series of performances. Last Sunday his efforts netted enough to put him over the original $1,000 goal for early-bird registration. During the concert, he introduced Holly, who proclaimed the concert "cool."

Encouraged, Frutos has now raised his goal to $1,500 and scheduled an encore performance. On Sunday, March 30, from noon to 3 p.m. at Sisters Coffee Company, he'll perform some of his original compositions and cover many of his favorite contemporary worship songs.

For more information or to donate online, visit www.llswa.org/goto/damonfrutos2014.