Church donations to help family of Valley teenager

Gardnerville's Valley Christian Fellowship is collecting donations to help with day-to-day expenses for the Lamb family, whose son, Jamie, has been fighting a soft-tissue cancer at the University of San Francisco since last December.

Marlene Koehler, a member of the church and friend of the Lambs, said the money would be used to cover basic expenses, like the rent for their Gardnerville home until the family is able to return. She would like to collect at least $3,000 for that and other expenses, she said.

"They're in real financial need. We don't want them to lose their home," Koehler said. "Anyone interested in helping out the family can send donations to Valley Christian Fellowship."

Shaw and James Lamb Sr. are living at a special home for the parents of sick children near the hospital with 10-year-old nephew Hayden. The couple took the boy, Jamie's cousin, about two years ago after his mother was killed in a car accident.

"A lot of people know the Lamb family, especially James (Lamb Sr.)," she said. "He has done in-home care for people in the past and if someone needed to be taken to the doctor, he would do it."

In addition to the soft tissue tumor that has required extensive therapy, Lamb is fighting the effects of spina bifida, a congenital disease that left him paralyzed from the waist down. He's had 35 surgeries to combat the effects of that disease, but this challenge is proving to be his greatest.

This type of cancer, called rhabdomyosarcoma, primarily affects children. The prognosis is good for otherwise healthy children, but Lamb's pre-existing condition complicates the picture, according to Shaw.

Lamb has received 11 of the required 7-minute treatments he must undergo before completing his radiation therapy. He is also receiving chemotherapy, Koehler said.

"He's got some burns from the radiation," Shaw said. "When he's not getting radiation treatments the wounds heal, but when they start up again they come back."

Jamie is also receiving chemotherapy. The radiation treatments are expected to run into October or November, Shaw said.

Susie Vasquez can be reached at svasquez@recordcourier.com or 782-5121, ext. 211.

BREAKOUT

Anyone wishing to contribute should make checks payable to Valley Christian Fellowship, for the Lamb Family. Checks can be mailed to:

Valley Christian Fellowship

P.O. Box 1362

Gardnerville, Nv. 89410

For more information, call the Valley Christian Fellowship at 782-1961.