Yvorra Leadership Development Foundation

YLD Founders Share Their Cancer Journeys to Promote Early Detection

Greg Noll and Mike Hildebrand together on the scene of a train derailment in East Palestine Ohio.

Two founding members of the Yvorra Leadership Development Foundation (YLD) and pioneers in the hazardous materials response community are turning their personal battles with cancer into a powerful message about the importance of early detection.

Greg Noll and Mike Hildebrand are highly respected figures in the firefighting and hazardous materials response profession. They quite literally wrote the book on hazmat response and have dedicated their lives to protecting others. Both were close friends of Deputy Fire Chief Jim Yvorra and were instrumental in forming Prince George’s County Fire/EMS Department’s first Hazardous Materials Team. After Yvorra’s tragic line-of-duty death in 1988, Noll and Hildebrand—along with colleagues and friends—established the YLD Foundation in his honor. Over the past 37 years, the foundation has awarded nearly $300,000 to emerging leaders in fire, EMS, hazmat, and emergency management. Today, Mike serves as the Foundation’s President and Chairman of the Board of Directors, while Greg leads as Chairman of the Scholarship and Awards Committee.

Recently, both Greg and Mike received life-changing diagnoses. Mike was diagnosed with prostate cancer, while Greg is facing Stage 3 oral cancer. Determined to turn their experiences into something positive, they are sharing their journeys in the hope of encouraging others to get screened early. Both strongly believe that early detection has significantly improved their chances of recovery.

Greg’s battle with oral cancer includes a mass on his tongue that his medical team believes is 90% curable. His treatment begins within two weeks and will involve seven weeks of radiation—35 individual treatments—combined with chemotherapy twice a week. To help him through the difficulty of swallowing, Greg now has a semi-permanent feeding tube, which he has adapted to with remarkable resilience.

Mike’s prostate cancer diagnosis has led him through a series of tests, and his medical team is currently determining the best course of treatment. With unwavering optimism, he shared, “Never give up. Today is hard, tomorrow will be worse, but the day after tomorrow will be sunshine.”

Their message is clear: firefighters and hazardous materials responders—along with everyone in high-risk professions—should prioritize early detection. Routine checkups and screenings can make the difference between life and death. Too many lives have been lost to cancers and other illnesses that could have been caught earlier.

Mike continues to provide updates on his Facebook page for both himself and Greg. Greg’s wife, Deb Noll, is helping relay messages for him through her Facebook account.

Their courage in sharing their stories is a testament to their lifelong commitment to protecting others—this time, by raising awareness and encouraging early cancer detection.