Matt O’Reilly served as a firefighter in Sun City for over a decade. When he was diagnosed with cancer at just 37 years old, he assumed Arizona’s presumptive cancer law would protect him. That law was written to ensure that firefighters with certain cancers would automatically qualify for workers’ compensation.

But Matt’s claim was denied — all because of a missing comma.

His cancer, adenocarcinoma, is listed in the law. But because the sentence lacked a comma between "adenocarcinoma" and "mesothelioma of the respiratory tract," insurance lawyers argued that coverage only applied to respiratory cases. Matt’s was not.

He spent over a year fighting that decision in court, even while undergoing treatment and recovering from surgery to remove his thyroid and 40 lymph nodes. Eventually, the insurance provider reversed its denial. But no firefighter should have to go through that.

This petition calls on the Arizona Legislature to urgently fix the wording in the state’s presumptive cancer law so that adenocarcinoma is clearly listed as a standalone covered condition. This change is not just about grammar. It is about protecting first responders from bureaucratic delays when they are at their most vulnerable.

We also urge lawmakers to ensure that the Industrial Commission of Arizona’s guidance is enforceable, not advisory, so future claims are not dragged through lengthy appeals.

Firefighters risk their lives every day to protect our communities. When they face cancer, they deserve clarity, compassion, and full support — not legal loopholes.

Sign this petition to demand that Arizona lawmakers fix this law and protect the firefighters who protect all of us.

Photo: ABC 15