Gulf Shores Fire Chief Mark Sealy has been around for a while. By looking at him, you may not know he has cheated death more than once.
Before his days in Gulf Shores, Sealy was chief of Mobile Fire Rescue. That is when a chance encounter with a full-body scan changed his life.
Sealy and his wife were at the Metro Chief Conference in San Antonio, Texas, when he was offered a free scan by Life Scan. He was reluctant to sign up, but at the urging of his wife, he obliged.
"I thought, 'Well, I don't need this," he remembered.
But boy, was he wrong.
The tech performing an ultrasound on Sealy found something concerning.
"And the tech kind looked at me like, 'Wow, we see something here," Sealy remembered. "So they took the images and gave it to me on a thumb drive. And bear in mind, they're just doing a sample of the physical. They didn't do the entire thing. They just happened to find an abnormality."
Sealy took the thumb drive to his doctor, who initially didn't seem too concerned. But as Sealy was leaving the parking lot, the doctor had a change of heart.
"He [the doctor] had been studying firefighter cancers and I knew nothing about it, really," said Sealy. "But firefighter cancers have become so prevalent, so, he came out there and stopped me while I was pulling out the parking lot and said, 'I'd like you to do a CT scan."
"I said, 'Doc, you just told me nothing's wrong," he continued. "But he said he just wanted to be sure."
Sure enough, the CT scan found cancer in Sealy's kidney.
Thankfully, the cancer was found early and was treated without chemotherapy or radiation.
After realizing the Life Scan saved his life, Sealy decided to bring the program to the Mobile Fire Department.
"I think we found a couple early cancers, some cardiac disease, and had several findings that first year and then did it another year," Sealy said.
When he retired and moved to Gulf Shores, Sealy brought the program with him.
"So, in the Spring of 2021, we did our first physicals here at Gulf Shores," Sealy said. "And this is a very young department as far as age but that first year we found a significant cancer that could have been fatal in a young person."
In the second year, the scan found bladder cancer in a 19-year-old. The cancer was detected in a person who would have likely never known any different if not for the scan. That's why Sealy said he is so thankful the city of Gulf Shores has been so supportive of the program.
"I think the city getting on board proves that they care about employees and are willing to invest that kind of money into the health and wellness," Sealy said. "That speaks volumes to our city and council."
Now, the city is using a company called VITALExam, which performs both physical and behavioral health examinations free of charge.
"Our in-depth examinations aid in detecting diseases and cancers by consisting of multi-organ ultrasound screenings, advanced cardiac screening blood work panels, cardiopulmonary assessments, behavioral health screenings, and tailored, personalized health recommendations with follow-up services by our healthcare team," said owner Dr. Marci Vitale.
Vitale said it is crucial for firefighters to take advantage of the free screenings because of the physical and mental demands their career puts on them.
"Intense physical labor, exposure to hazardous materials, irregular shift hours, and regular involvement in high-stress situations place firefighters at high risk for cancers, heart disease, sleep disorders, PTSD, and other behavioral health concerns," she continued. "Screening for these health conditions is one of the best ways to advocate for the health and safety of firefighters."
Vitale said it is important for everyone to be proactive about their health and well-being to prevent chronic diseases.
VITALExam plans to expand services to other local agencies.
In Gulf Shores, city employees get scans free of cost, and spouses may be scanned for around $600. The scans are mandatory for firefighters but optional for other city employees.
After scans, VITALExam continues to follow the progress of any diagnosis and advocates for the patient. While Sealy is thankful that Life Scan saved his life, he also looks forward to working with a local company that provides the scans and more.
"All this came from me going to a conference," said Sealy. And I tell you, this was not me, but it was 100% God."
Sealy once again beat cancer in 2023 when a physical showed his PSA levels were elevated. He was diagnosed with prostate cancer and underwent surgery. The experience was another reminder for Sealy that physicals and scans are vital.
"That is absolutely, 100% the key to surviving cancer, finding it early," Sealy told 1819 News.
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email erica.thomas@1819news.com.
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