Community Corner

Rare, Aggressive Cancer Attacks New Milford Police Officer

20-year department member needs assistance after being diagnosed with a rare form of cancer that's now in Stage 4.

The New Milford Police Benevolent Association Local 83 is going to bat for a member of their team with a campaign to help raise funds for a New Milford Police Officer who was recently diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of cancer.

Detective Sergeant Brian Long has been with the New Milford Police Department since 1994 and worked as a New York City Police Officer before coming to the borough.

Long and his family have recently incurred numerous expenses that have put enormous pressure on them financially and psychologically.

Find out what's happening in New Milfordwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

In early November, Brian and his wife Gina traveled to the Dana Farber Cancer Institute to meet with doctors. The news they received was both good and potentially very bad. Brian was diagnosed with Stage 3 Renal Cell Carcinoma (RCC) but it was possible that the prognosis may change for two reasons.

Firstly, doctors at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute as well as Genetic Counselors at Sloan believed that the cancer is actually a genetic mutation called Hereditary Leiomyomatosis and Renal Cell Cancer (HLRCC).  The genetic testing results would not be back until December. 

Find out what's happening in New Milfordwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

If there was to be any good news, it was that there was a 20 percent chance of it being undiagnosed or a false negative. They have said based on family history they are diagnosing Brian with HLRCC no matter what the test results are.  There are only about 200 families worldwide to be known to have this gene mutation. 

What this means for Brian and for his family is that his children have a 50 percent chance of inheriting the gene. If they have the gene they believe that cancer occurs in 20-30 percent of those with the gene, like Brian. It goes without question that Brian and Gina’s children will need to be watched closely and that if the unthinkable were to ever happen, the New Milford Police PBA will be here to help in any way.  

The New Milford PBA asks anyone who is able to visit the GoFundMe.com page, Brian’s Fight, and make a donation of any amount to help support a man who has been helping New Milford for 20 years. 


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here