Support for retired FF and fireground photographer Tim Olk as he battles multiple cancers
Support for FF Tim Olk
A 501(c)(3) Tax-Deductible Campaign
Illinois’ Tim Olk has been part of the fire service for more than 43 years, serving as a firefighter with Northbrook, Northfield, and Prospect Heights. The fire service is a fundamental part of who he is. After his mentor, Assistant Chief Wayne Luecht, was killed in an explosion, Tim made it his mission to honor and document the men and women of the fire service through his photography. He has also built a reputation as someone who is always there when others need him, regardless of his own circumstances. For more than four decades, Tim has given his time, energy, and dedication to the fire service and the people around him.
For the past two years, Tim has been battling bladder and prostate cancer, and on January 31, 2026, he underwent surgery to remove his bladder and prostate. What was expected to be a seven-hour operation lasted 15 hours due to serious complications, followed by more than 12 weeks in the hospital, a month in rehabilitation, and repeated infections. Doctors later discovered that the stoma created during surgery was too small, causing fluids to back up into his kidneys and leading to recurring infections, and Tim now faces another major surgery to correct it. Because of his prolonged treatment and complications, he has missed a substantial amount of work and has accumulated approximately $35,000 in medical and rehabilitation expenses not covered by insurance. Tim has spent his life showing up for others, and now he needs that same support in return from the many people he has helped, photographed, honored, encouraged, and stood beside over the years.
