January 2026 | Vol. 26 Iss. 1
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Sandy
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Possible school mergers
Sandy schools to be studied further in January Page 6
Goodbye 2025
Some of our favorite photos from the past year
Page 12
Sandy community rallies as firefighter battles cancer By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com The woman who has answered countless calls for help is now the one who needs it.
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irefighters spend their lives pulling people from danger, but when that danger hits home, the world tilts a little. Stacie Jorgensen and her husband, Jeff, work as full-time firefighters for Sandy City, dedicating more than three decades of combined service to the community. Stacie, who also works part-time as a Life Flight paramedic, was recently diagnosed with cancer and is now battling an aggressive and rare form of leukemia. Stacie had no indication she had cancer, but noticed a strange rash that wouldn’t go away. She consulted her dermatologist, who ran some tests. “We say that vanity saved my life, because once those purple things started showing up on my forehead, I said, ‘Well, that’s it. That’s not gonna happen,’” she said. “[The dermatologist] chose to do a skin biopsy because I’d had the rash for about five months. My labs came back fine. It was the skin biopsy that found the leukemia.” Diagnosed with myeloid sarcoma, a cancer that affects only two per million adults, Stacie immediately began weeks of chemotherapy treatments at Huntsman Cancer Institute to wipe out her immune system in preparation for a bone marrow transplant. As one of the sarcomas related to the 9/11 clean-up, where rescue workers were exposed to toxic dust and heavy metals, Stacie said there’s a good chance her cancer was caused by chemicals she’s worked with during her 16 years as a firefighter. Stacie said the Sandy City Fire De-
partment has been supportive, organizing documentation to file a workers’ compensation claim. According to the International Association of Fire Fighters, cancer is the top safety risk for firefighters, causing twothirds of line-of-duty deaths between 2002 and 2019. The Utah Firefighter Cancer Initiative encourages all firefighters over the age of 40, with a minimum of seven years of service, to get regular cancer screenings. “One of our chiefs went through every incident I’ve ever been on in my career where there was a possible hazardous material,” Stacie said. “So every fire, every hazmat call, every CO alarm, everything, and submitted that to the workman’s comp. People are working on my behalf. There is a lot of behind-the-scenes work they’re doing for us.” Jeff gets emotional when discussing Stacie’s diagnosis, not just because of the uncertainty of the situation, but for all the “tender mercies” the family has received. The couple has two daughters, ages 12 and 18, and the family is learning to embrace the support of their coworkers, family and friends. “I felt guilty when I wasn’t home with the kids,” he said. “I was guilty when I wasn’t at the hospital. It was hard for me to allow myself to step back for a minute. Fortunately, I had some coworkers who showed up to take me to breakfast. They said, ‘We’re not asking if you can come, we’re picking you up at eight in the morning.’” Kindness has carried their family through a difficult time. Fire crews bring dinners, volunteers shuttle their daughters to school or events, coworkers donate PTO to both Jeff and Stacie, and people check in regularly to make sure the family has ev-
Stacie and Jeff Jorgensen work as firefighters for Sandy City. Stacie was diagnosed with a rare form of leukemia and is now fighting for her life. (Photo courtesy of Jeff Jorgensen) erything they need as Stacie battles cancer. The Jorgensens live and work in Sandy, and credit SCFD Fire Marshall Gerald Strebel for introducing them and bringing them together. This year, they celebrated their 15th wedding anniversary at Huntsman Cancer Center. Jeff called it the “most expensive hotel we’ve ever stayed in.” As Stacie goes through treatments in preparation for the bone marrow transplant, she and Jeff are staying focused on the moment and not looking too far into the future. Her dream of retiring from the fire department at 20 years might be derailed,
but they plan on spending the winter hunkered down in their home, resting and recovering before the next challenge. “I’m learning that I have enough time to be slow and thoughtful about what I’m actually going to get done in the day,” Stacie said. “But this is the perfect season for it, because I’m not a winter person at all. I’d rather just be home anyway.” Jeff’s cousin, April Snell, posted a GoFundMe page in November to help the family with expenses. Donations can be made at gofundme.com/f/support-firefighter-stacie-in-her-fight-against-leukemia. l