Wiegand was diagnosed with colon cancer a couple years ago, it spread to his liver and then one lung. He is now missing half a lung, half a liver and most of his colon. He has endured several rounds of chemotherapy and is scanned for cancer regularly, the last test was clear.
“I get scanned again the end of February and until then I’m fine,” Wiegand said. “I get scanned every three months, it’s just the nature of the beast with what I have, and until I’m ever told otherwise, I’m enjoying the heck out of life.”
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Wiegand said two township firemen actually came in behind him, but that was only because they wanted to stick by his side to make sure he was okay. Lt. Jim Cox was one of those firefighters. Cox met Wiegand for the first time Sunday.
“For Aaron to be able to come back after cancer and with a partial lung to be able to persevere and make it the full 45 floors, that’s just a testament to his strength and his fortitude,” Cox said. “It’s amazing what people can do when they put their minds to it.”
This was the 15th lung association climb and the township team raised about $2,800.
Since his diagnosis Wiegand has been very active on social media, showing pictures of all the adventures he and his wife Jessica have shared with their young sons Grant, 12 and Vance, 9 and even joking at times about his condition. His big grin is ever present and you’d never know the difficult medical journey he has endured.
“There is a time for each of us, what you do have is today, that much I know I have today,” Wiegand said. “I can wake up in the morning and I can decide to let that day get me down or I can decide that day will not get me down. Why would I waste time worrying about the former when I have the later available to me.”
Wiegand said everyone has some sort of “cancer” in their lives, whether it be a diagnosis of an illness, family struggles, financial woes or other hardships. He said by being open about his illness he hopes people won’t avoid asking questions about health concerns, especially colon cancer which has its own stigma.
Barb Wilson, the townships director of Public Information & Engagement, said Wiegand inspires everyone.
“Aaron’s health battles, his positive attitude and his willingness to be open about his life have made us even closer as a family of professionals with the common goal of being better in all aspects of our lives,” she said. “The fact that Aaron made the climb is amazing, but not surprising. He makes a commitment, he keeps it.”
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