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Omaha council proclaims January 2026 Firefighter Cancer Awareness Month, honors firefighter Matt McDonald as family urges stronger benefits
Summary
The Omaha City Council issued a proclamation recognizing January 2026 as Firefighter Cancer Awareness Month and honored 18-year firefighter Matt McDonald. McDonald’s wife urged the council to consider long-term benefits for families, citing the state law and gaps in the current contract.
The Omaha City Council on Jan. 2026 issued a proclamation recognizing January as Firefighter Cancer Awareness Month and honored firefighter Matt McDonald, who served 18 years before stepping away from duty in 2025 because of a cancer diagnosis.
The proclamation, read by the council president, cited studies saying firefighters have about a 9% greater chance of being diagnosed with cancer and a 14% greater chance of dying from cancer than the general population. It noted local awareness activities by the Omaha Fire Department and national firefighter advocacy groups.
Trevor Tawey, who identified himself as president of Omaha Professional Firefighter 6005, thanked the council for the recognition and for its support on firefighter cancer issues. "He's done great things over his career, and, you know, we're we're a little less of a department within his absence," Tawey said.
Stacy McDonnell, speaking for her husband and identifying the family’s address for the record, described the personal toll of McDonald’s terminal cancer and urged action beyond symbolic recognition. "Matt's cancer is terminal," McDonnell said. She told the council the family faces losing his income and that "the current Omaha Fire contract that gets final approval from this city council does not currently provide long term health insurance for dependents of line of duty deaths." She also referenced state legislation she called "LB 432, the Firefighter Cancer Benefit Act," saying in the meeting transcript that since implementation it had paid out "$0" to support families like theirs.
McDonnell called for attention to early detection, clean-gear policies and ongoing support for firefighter families "after the fire is out, after the shift is over, and after the headlines fade." The council made the proclamation but did not adopt a substantive ordinance or take formal policy action on benefits at the meeting.
The proclamation and the family’s remarks drew attention to gaps between recognition and concrete post-service support; any changes to contract language or municipal benefits would require later council action or changes negotiated in the collective-bargaining process.
