Deputy Charlie Lamb Who Was Off Fighting Cancer for 9 Months Is Back Fighting Crime

Press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office:

charlie lambWhen Deputy Sheriff Charlie Lamb walks into the room, it’s hard not to notice. It isn’t because of the 6-foot-7-inch deputy’s unusual height, but because of his infectious smile. Deputy Lamb has a reason to smile these days. After fighting cancer for nine months, he is back on the streets once again doing what he loves: fighting crime.

“It feels good to be back,” Lamb said. “The normalcy of getting up and putting on your boots, doing your job, it feels good.”

Life has been anything but normal for Lamb this last year, following a doctor’s appointment in March of 2017.

“I was having some back problems, just pain,” Lamb said. “I went in to the doctor, told him I had some back problems. They did a scan, came back and told me I had a pretty serious case of cancer.”

Doctors diagnosed Lamb with Stage Four Lymphoma, the cancer spreading throughout his body. His chances of survival a mere 30 percent.

“I don’t know if I ever really took a second to evaluate is this going to work out or not,” Lamb said. “I expected to get better. Even after the doctor said 30 percent.”

Doctors immediately started Lamb on chemotherapy, but that treatment proved unsuccessful. Despite the setback, Lamb says he was able to stay upbeat with the support of family and the community.

“A lot of my friends constantly kept me up, my family, my extended family and immediate family were all very positive,” Lamb said.Charlie lamb

Doctors next turned to a bone marrow transplant and another round of chemotherapy, landing Lamb in the hospital for almost a month in September. As the bills began adding up, the community stepped in to support the Lamb family. Donations started pouring in on a Go Fund Me set up to help cover treatment and travel costs. Friends also organized community fundraisers to foot the bills.

“In high school they have you write your own obituary. It kind of reminded me of that; on a realistic level, how did I live my life?” Lamb said. “It reaffirmed for me that, it seemed like, I must have done something right in how I do my job and how I treat people because of such of an outstanding show of concern and support that people gave. It was very uplifting.”
However, Lamb received more discouraging news in October. The bone marrow transplant was only a “partial success.” Doctors, detecting remnants of cancer still in his body, told Lamb he would need to consider clinical trials for gene therapy.

“That’s when I started to get a little bit concerned,” Lamb said. “Now you’re talking about clinical trials that are a little more unknown because it’s all a new kind of medicine.”
Determined to beat cancer, Lamb agreed to undergo the clinical trial and signed up as patient number three to test a brand new treatment. Lamb now faced the unknown. The treatment didn’t have a great track record as patient number one died and patient number two was suffering seizures as a side effect.

“It wasn’t sounding all that positive,” Lamb said.

The day before Thanksgiving Lamb did one more scan to confirm his eligibility for the program.

“I was driving home with my wife mid-afternoon, Doctor Meyers calls and says ‘Hey, we can’t have you do the clinical study,’” Lamb said. “I was thinking they must have found cancer in my brain or spine. He said, ‘no, no, you don’t understand. We can’t find any cancer.’”

The doctor explained that Lamb’s transplant and chemo were successful; it just took a little while longer than usual to clear the cancer from his body. Lamb was officially in remission.

“There are more people than I can say thank you to that supported me with good wishes, financial donations, cards, just so many people,” Lamb said. “It was a humbling event.”
While he still has to do regular scans to ensure the cancer hasn’t come back, Lamb was given the all clear to return to work. Today he’s back at the Sheriff’s Office, once again fighting crime.

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19 Comments
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Just Sayin.
Guest
Just Sayin.
6 years ago

Awesome. I’ve been in the exact same boat. Lymphoma , experimetal treatments etc. I am happy that he gets a second chance. Do good with it brother.

Steve
Guest
Steve
6 years ago
Reply to  Just Sayin.

Know the feeling well,just got the good news myself. Congratulations officer Lamb,well done! Mine was hodgkins lymphoma only stage three, but scary as hell none the less,Congratulations again!

Renaissance1
Guest
Renaissance1
6 years ago

Such wonderful news for a change. Good Luck and the best to you and your family.

peaceandjustice
Guest
peaceandjustice
6 years ago

Very happy for you Deputy Lamb! Prayers do get answered. Now, “be safe out there.”

Veterans Friend
Guest
Veterans Friend
6 years ago

UNIVERSAL SINGLE PAYER
MEDICARE FOR ALL
DO IT NOW
PEOPLE ARE SUFFERING
GOING BANKRUPT
DYING
HAVING BAKE SALES

Steve
Guest
Steve
6 years ago

If you were a veteran you would have the best healthcare in the United States.

Vicki McCulley
Guest
Vicki McCulley
6 years ago

I’m so happy for Charlie, the best thing I heard all day 🎉

69 roadrunner man mogtx
Guest

Way to go Deputy lamb so happy for your recovery best wishes to you and the future and your family.

Mobius Moggie
Guest
Mobius Moggie
6 years ago

Congratulations, Charlie. Welcome back.

unbridled phillistine
Guest
unbridled phillistine
6 years ago

Life is too short! Sure this is what you want to do with a second chance at life? Glad you are well.

Purple lady
Guest
Purple lady
6 years ago

Wonderful news!

Brat
Guest
Brat
6 years ago

Great news! Congratulations Charlie. You were always very decent with us when my partner was having relapse and mental health issues.

homer
Guest
homer
6 years ago

What a great outcome…the will to survive and the support system in place. We live in an awesome area with so many caring people. Congrats to Charlie…A great guy with a great smile…Go get em !!!

Hello
Guest
Hello
6 years ago

I did 15 years at spi. I watched you come & go you were there quite a few years. I didn’t play basketball with you I wasn’t that good but I felt like we were friends. I remember shaking your hand when you told me you passed the background check. And I was good at basketball and just not at your level.Glad to hear you’re doing good brother.

Courtney
Guest
Courtney
6 years ago

That is so awesome! Praise God!

Jake
Guest
Jake
6 years ago

Glad to have you back sir. Keep fighting the good fight.

Cheryl Barbata
Guest
Cheryl Barbata
6 years ago

OMG! I too started having back pains last year around April my doctor sent me to physical therapy put me on pain meds as I continue to call his office daily crying in pain, after four weeks of physical therapy my finger started going now and then after a few weeks of numbness in my fingers my arm started going now I’m by October, I can’t feel anything in my right hand my right arm and now it’s starting in my left, I do nails I know , So in November I had quit doing nails I’m still calling my doctor every day screaming and crying in pain he didn’t do an x-ray until middle of November which showed “some issues“. It took a month to get into the imaging place even with this bad x-rays to get an MRI The day after the MRI was done I was rushed into ER put in a neckbrace and in the hospital for a week at St. Joseph and because that was not going very well I went down to San Ramon and spent another three weeks down there having next surgery. I feel so blessed that my level of cancer is nothing like officer lan my needs and Leah 2.3 but I still don’t have full use of my fingers hands and arms .

Verla
Guest
Verla
6 years ago

I remember Charlie when he played basketball. The 1st time I seen him was at the court house and he looked so familiar. When I found out who he was, I smiled he is always so polite and has a smile. So glad to hear he is doing good and back to work.