Support Firefighter Donnie Strickland in Cancer Battle

My name is Richard Coleman, and I am a Lieutenant with Tabor City Fire Department in Tabor City, NC. We are a small-town department with 2 stations and 35 volunteers, on the NC/SC border near Myrtle Beach, SC, and Wilmington, NC. Our department has always been a tight group that is willing to help anyone in need.

Now, one of our own is in need, and we are asking our community, neighbors, and fellow first responders if they can help our fellow firefighter in a battle for his life. Tabor City Fire Safety Officer Donnie Strickland has always been there to help others. Donnie has spent most of his life dedicated to helping others.

Donnie has been battling Stage 3 colon cancer since November 2023. He had surgery and endured 6 months of chemotherapy in early/mid 2024. He was in remission for approximately 7 months, and unfortunately, in March 2025, he found out his cancer returned and is now stage 4 peritoneal cancer, spreading from his colon to his abdomen. Donnie is currently receiving treatments at Duke Cancer Center in Raleigh, NC, and has begun an aggressive triple chemotherapy treatment plan to hopefully slow progression and prolong his life. He has an appointment at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City at the end of April and an appointment at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, TX in June for a second opinion and hopefully further treatment options.

Donnie and his wife Amber are dealing with not only this diagnosis of terminal cancer, but extensive financial hardships related to medical bills, travel expenses, and other costs associated with his cancer treatment.

He is going to try and continue working as long as he can to help support, but expenses are adding up. If you are able to give financially to help Donnie in his fight, thank you. Every donation, no matter what the amount is, gives Donnie a fighting chance. If you can't donate, please lift him and his family up in your prayers.

Thank you for your support in helping him fight for his life!