WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Next month, you may notice some Winston-Salem firefighters sporting a new look. The Ardmore firefighters will be wearing pink shields on their helmets.
Each one has a name on it, including Laura Rose.
"I live day to day," Laura said.
For the second time in her life she is battling cancer. This time its an aggressive and resistant to treatment form of leukemia. Now she is playing the waiting game, and hoping to get a bone marrow transplant.
"I can't control the future and I can't live in the past, the past has happened. I want to live and living is now," Laura said. She said she's living for people like her wife, Lynn. "She came into my life when I thought that I was going to fight this alone," Laura said about marrying Lynn in May.
Last week, Lynn found even more support for Laura. This support was some of the bravest and strongest around...firefighters. "We want them to know that people are there to support them, to love them and they're not doing it alone," Captain Damien Poole said.
In October, Captain Poole will wear a helmet with Laura's name on it, and three other firefighters will wear helmets with names of other women battling cancer in their response area. Captain Poole said the fire department as a whole wears pink shirts during the month of October, but he thought of this idea for Engine 6.
"We're not doing it for recognition, we're doing it for them," Poole said. "Its a battle and for them to recognize that and to acknowledge it and honor it, is extremely special," Laura said.
They are still looking for one more woman to support. They ask that she be from their response area which is Ardmore, Buena Vista, West End and West Salem.