PEPPERELL -- A year ago this month, Pepperell firefighter William Parenteau was having his head shaved in a fund-raiser for children with cancer. Now, he's a victim of the disease and battling for his own life.
Eleven years ago, Parenteau was a firefighter in Delta, Colo. He had a cyst removed from a knee and didn't think any more of it. Now what seemed to be a simple melanoma has spread to his lungs, liver and spine.
His weight has dropped from 210 to 160 pounds. He has had to stop work as a cabinet-maker in Tewksbury. He is taking part in a clinical study at the University of Pennsylvania for a new cancer drug going into its third phase of development but has not been presented for FDA approval yet.
"I'm a guinea pig. I'm going to the phase where I take two pills twice a day and check progress every four weeks," Parenteau said as he sat is the Park Street Fire Station with Captain Peter Shattuck and firefighter Vinnie Messina.
"It seems to be a pretty good response," Parenteau said. "The usual numbers for patients like me is 10 percent, but I don't plan on it," he said.
"There's no point in being depressed," Sue Parenteau added.
He isn't fighting alone, for the men of Engine Company One have stood solidly behind his efforts to conquer the cancer. They have sponsored a town-wide fundraiser, plan to hold more, and have set up the Parenteau Family Fund at North Middlesex Savings Bank on Main Street (phone: (978) 433-2552).
Parenteau has been on the fire department about a year and a half. Shattuck said he had two positions open in the company at that time. "I said let's see if anyone who wants to help someone [applies]," Shattuck said. "Bill was in the office the same day. Vinnie brought him in."
Shattuck said he told Parenteau to show up for a few calls if he was serious about the job. He was voted in the next month. Now that he has cancer, Shattuck said Parenteau told him perhaps he should step down and not take up a space.
"People in this company stick together," Shattuck said. "He got the message [that] the position is yours until you say you're done."
"You don't know how much that meant," Sue said.
"I'm helping out," Parenteau said, "doing what I can. I can't do much, but... I can't be lying around thinking. I've helped people for a long time."
Parenteau said he wants to get the message out about how "bad" melanoma is. "It starts on the skin but undetected it can spread to the lymph nodes and organs and you can't stop it," he said. "I want the word out there that it isn't skin cancer and it isn't always from the sun. It can be a mole. Information is the best weapon.
"I don't mind having it," Parenteau said, "but not kids. It kills me to see kids have it."
Shattuck said firefighters Seth Durno, Josh Yenetchi and Messina have set up the help team and have constantly gone to the hospital with Parenteau. Messina said the company has set up collection boxes around town. C&S Pizza is going to allow firefighters to deliver pizza to raise money, and a hat drive will be conducted the same day.
Messina and Yenetchi are looking for resources from the Massachusetts Call Firefighter's Association and have met with Jonathan Plante, vice president of the region, to organize a charity sporting event against either the Boston Bruins or Celtics.
Parenteau has applied for social security. Sue's Harvard Pilgrim health coverage from her job at ESA in Chelmsford is covering some of the bills.
"I feel bad because they [Company One] put their lives on hold to help," Parenteau said. "Vinnie and Seth wouldn't take no for an answer. The guys in Colorado have sent me some money, too." He must travel to Philadelphia every month for treatment.
"These guys have been terrific even though we're practically strangers," Sue said.
"I want to extend out that they've done a job and there's a lot more coming," Shattuck said, careful because he doesn't "want to say the wrong thing. I'm proud as can be to be these guys' captain, to be sitting in this seat," he said. "I can't think of a better guy to help."
