Full Breakdown
Fort Worth Firefighter Todd Brook Battles Terminal Cancer While Seeking a Kidney Donor for His Wife
6/6/2026, 1:01:47 AM
Todd Brook’s Final Wish: Securing a Kidney Donor for His Wife
Todd Brook, a Fort Worth firefighter with three decades of service, was diagnosed with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer in October 2025. Physicians gave him a prognosis of three to six months. While undergoing treatment, Brook has redirected his remaining energy toward finding a living kidney donor for his wife, Jennifer Brook, who suffers from polycystic kidney disease and currently has 22 percent kidney function. Because his cancer makes him ineligible to donate, the couple is pursuing a donor through the University of Texas Southwestern Living-Donor Transplant Program.
Background: A Career of Service and a Cancer Diagnosis
Brook attributes his cancer to long-term exposure to carcinogens encountered on the fireground, a concern shared by many in the profession. Jennifer was diagnosed with kidney disease years earlier and has long anticipated the need for a transplant. The couple’s 16-year marriage has been marked by mutual health challenges, now converging on the urgent search for a donor.
Key Individuals and Organizations
- Todd Brook – Veteran firefighter and patient.
- Jennifer Brook – Wife, transplant candidate.
- Craig Trojecek – Spokesman for the Fort Worth Fire Department.
- UT Southwestern Living-Donor Transplant Program – Facilitates donor evaluation and matching.
- United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) – Provides national transplant wait-list data.
Timeline of Events
- October 2025 – Todd Brook receives Stage 4 pancreatic cancer diagnosis.
- Following months – Brook and his family request media interviews to publicize Jennifer’s need.
- Present – Brook remains in a hospital bed; the couple continues to seek a living donor while awaiting possible deceased-donor transplantation.
Data on Kidney Transplant Need
- Approximately 90,000 people in the United States are waiting for a kidney transplant (UNOS).
- Living donations account for 20-25 percent of all kidney transplants.
- An estimated 13 deaths per day occur among individuals awaiting an organ.
- Wait times for deceased-donor kidneys range from three to seven years.
- Jennifer Brook becomes eligible for a transplant when kidney function declines to 20 percent.
Why the Search Matters
Brook’s public appeal aims to increase awareness of the living-donor shortage. By highlighting his personal story, the couple hopes to inspire additional registrations, potentially benefiting thousands of patients on the national waiting list.
Official Statements & Responses
Fire Department spokesman Craig Trojecek confirmed that Todd personally asked the department to broadcast his wife’s need, describing it as his “final wish” to secure a donor. Trojecek added that Brook has “always been about everybody else.” Todd himself noted that his cancer diagnosis “kicked him out of the donor pool.” Jennifer expressed optimism that a donor will be found and emphasized that raising awareness could help others awaiting transplants. UT Southwestern officials are coordinating the couple’s placement on the living-donor registry.
On-the-Ground Perspectives
Jennifer Brook described her husband’s condition: he cannot speak or open his eyes, but he occasionally squeezes her hand or lifts an eyebrow. She reiterated her belief that “God could heal him right now,” while also focusing on the immediate goal of securing a kidney for herself.
Verbatim Quotes
- “He can’t talk. He can’t open his eyes. He responds some, he’ll squeeze a hand or lift an eyebrow,” — Jennifer Brook, wife
- “I’m optimistic that God will find me a kidney,” — Jennifer Brook
- “Everything he did, he did to make sure we would be OK.” — Jennifer Brook
- “Todd was always about everybody else," Trojecek said.” — Craig Trojecek, Fort Worth Fire Department spokesman
- “With the diagnosis of cancer, I got kicked out of the pool,” — Todd Brook
What’s Next
The Brook family urges anyone willing to consider living donation to register at the UT Southwestern Living-Donor Transplant Program website (utswmed.org). As Jennifer approaches eligibility at the 20 percent threshold, the couple remains hopeful that increased public attention will translate into a life-saving match, while also highlighting the broader need for living donors nationwide.
