A GoFundMe campaign set up for Tempe Fire Captain Scott Leatham after he received a diagnosis of NUT carcinoma, a rare form of cancer, has raised over $60,000 from community members, and the family received a large donation from National Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers.
Leatham, who has worked with the Tempe Fire Medical Rescue Department since 2013, is a husband and father of two. He serves as a Technical Rescue Technician, SWAT Medic, and a member of the Dive Team.
A GoFundMe campaign launched by friends aims to assist Leatham's family after he received the diagnosis and started treatment in July. The campaign had raised over $60,000 by October 15 from various donors. Notable contributions include $2,000 from fellow firefighter Glen Damiani, $5,000 each from Dr. Farhad Sigari and Dr. Stephen Bane, and $1000 donations from organizations such as Desert Plunge, Chandler Firefighter Charities CFC, Greg Berkel, Scottsdale FF Charities L5050, and AFMA FF Charities.
National Breathe Free also provided the family with a $75,000 donation, presented on October 16. Sierra Wuertz, National Director of Programs and Projects for National Breathe Free, stated that supporting Leatham is important to the organization.
"This is the very least we can do to support a hometown hero and his family," said Wuertz. "We feel deeply fortunate to be able to offer any assistance we can during his battle."
The financial support is helping the Leatham family manage medical treatments, travel costs for specialized care, and daily living expenses.
"We are overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and support from both our local community and National Breathe Free," said Ashley Leatham, Scott's wife. "It means the world to us to know that we have so many people standing with us during this difficult time."
The community is encouraged to continue contributing to Captain Leatham’s GoFundMe page: Support Captain Scott Leatham's Fight Against Cancer.
