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The Monroe firefighters union is pulling together to help one of its own colleagues who is battling cancer.

Kenny Ellis, 52, an eight-year veteran with the Monroe Fire Department and president of the International Association of Firefighters (IAFF) Local 3824, was diagnosed in mid-April with a brain tumor, said Chris Conte vice president of the union.

The tumor — a malignant glioma — is the same one Sen. Edward Kennedy was recently diagnosed with that is considered incurable, he said.

Ellis of Liberty Twp. is undergoing chemotherapy and completed radiation treatments last week, Conte said.

"He's in good spirits and he's fighting through it. He's holding his own pretty good," he said.

Ellis said he's feeling very tired.

"I'm in the fourth stage so there's no cure. We're just trying to delay it, we're trying to shrink the tumor," he said.

The union had a fundraising booth for Ellis at the "Light Up The Sky" festival during the July 4th weekend.

The union sold Italian sausage sandwiches, corn on the cob, funnel cakes and drinks at the booth and raised more than $2,800 for the Kenny Ellis Cancer Fund, Conte said.

Firefighters from Liberty Twp. and Middletown also volunteered their time to work at the festival on behalf of Ellis, he said.

The union, which represents 33 Monroe firefighters, also is planning to hold another fundraiser for him this fall, he said.

Firefighters in the department also are volunteering to work Ellis' shift so that he can continue to receive a paycheck, Conte said.

"This has been a tremendous help to him because it's income he doesn't have to worry about for meals and the expenses for all the chemo he has to pay for. So its been a big relief for him," he said.

Guys on Ellis shift also have painted the exterior of his Liberty Twp. home and plan to make other improvements, he said.

Ellis, a firefighter since 1985, said he is "grateful" for all the help he is receiving from his family and fellow firefighters.

"I'm very grateful. I know what type of people that I work with and that's just how we are.

"We'll help anybody, anytime. I really admire them," said the father of seven.

Conte said Ellis has not been told by his doctors if he will be able to return to work.

"Hopefully, he can come back to work; I know he's trying to come back to work, that's his goal," he said.

Ellis said that he has to convince his doctors that he is able to return to work in some form or fashion.

"I know I can't in my full capacity and that's the problem. We don't have light duty in our city," he said.

Conte said the department is holding up fairly well considering the circumstances.

"They know that by working for him, that's helping him out financially.

"They keep in contact through phone calls and e-mails," he said.

"It's definitely a wake up call. It kind of makes everybody step back and think this could happen to anyone of us and it makes you appreciate your family more, and not take everything for granted," he said.

Anyone wishing to make a donation for Ellis can send contributions to the IAFF in c/o him to P.O. Box 547, Monroe, Ohio, 45050 or donate to the Kenny Ellis Cancer Fund at any Fifth Third Bank.