Cancer survivor: Paul Cheek

Long Beach, CA Local 372 member and fire chaplain Paul Cheek survived two battles with melanoma, crediting immunotherapy, faith, and community support for his recovery, and now advocates for fire fighter cancer prevention and spiritual care.

January 29 • 2025

I got hired in the fire service in February of 1985 before becoming a fire fighter/paramedic. I have been a captain since 2001 and recently became a chaplain for my department. Being a fire fighter has been one of the most rewarding and demanding experiences of my life. 

In the fall of 2009, I finally went to the dermatologist to check out a sore on my arm that I’d had for a couple of months. I hadn’t really given it much thought as I’d get the occasional bruise and ignore it, but this became an open sore that wouldn’t heal. A biopsy had my dermatologist referring me to a cancer surgeon, who diagnosed me with Stage II melanoma. 

The diagnosis didn’t scare me; rather, it made me determined to fight and do everything I could to beat it.  

After surgery to remove the cancer, I had interferon treatment for a year to reduce my risk of a melanoma recurrence. I gave myself three shots a week. I couldn’t work as I was weak and tired all the time. I had problems thinking and concentrating. It was like having the flu with all the symptoms every day for an entire year.  

Our family dog, Wembley, became my daily couch companion, my cancer dog, always with me and checking on me. I completed the treatment with the hopes that it would buy me five more years. It was a scary experience for my wife and kids, but my clean scans meant I could go right back to living my life just as I had before cancer.  

I’ve been cancer-free for seven years now, and there’s no other way to describe it other than a miracle. I returned to work with renewed vigor to help others.  

paul cheek

My life went back to normal, except for monthly checkups with my doctor. Almost five years to the day of being cancer-free, my doctor recommended some tests to make sure I was cancer-free. The X-ray showed a spot near my lung, and a PET scan showed three additional tumors near my heart, in my abdomen, and on my back. I had Stage IV melanoma and a 17% chance of survival.  

Not what I wanted to hear. But then my oncologist started raving about remarkable breakthroughs in immunotherapy treatments that were showing positive results. This is when I knew this round with cancer would be different. It was going to be a fight, but a spark of hope was growing within me. This fight renewed my faith in the Lord. This time I would fight with my doctor and the Lord by my side.  

In addition to immunotherapy, I started praying more and reading my bible, and within a year and a half of treatment, three tumors disappeared. We scheduled surgery for the remaining tumor. Once removed, my cancer surgeon excitedly informed me that the softball-sized tumor was completely removed and dead, before asking if they could have it for research purposes. Of course, I said yes. The treatment saved my life, of course I wanted them to continue researching to help save others affected by cancer.

I continued immunotherapy every other week for another year, before moving to scans every three months and then every six months as everything came back negative for cancer. 

While I have neuropathy in my feet and a compromised adrenal gland, I’ve been cancer-free for seven years now, and there’s no other way to describe it other than a miracle. I returned to work with renewed vigor to help others.  

I am so thankful to the medical professionals for their tireless efforts to find cures for cancer, my family for their unwavering encouragement, the support of my department, and God for standing with me every step of the way.  

Since being declared cancer-free, I’ve become an advocate for fire fighter cancer prevention. With fire fighters, I discuss cancer prevention methods, advise regular medical checkups, provide peer support services, and encourage those in treatment and post-treatment to explore counseling as cancer affects you and your family in known and unknown ways.  

Additionally, I’ve deepened my relationship with God. I attend services regularly, joined the men’s group, became a leader in the men’s ministry, and serve in the prayer tent. I’ve become a fire fighter chaplain for my county, Firefighters for Christ, and my department. 

I’m thankful every day that I get to work with an honorable family of fire fighters, for the heroic efforts of medical professionals, and that I’m still here to be grandfather to a brilliant toddler. Cancer isn’t the fight I would have chosen, but I’m forever grateful for the path I’m now on. 

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These IAFF member survivor stories were collected by the Firefighter Cancer Support Network for Fire Fighter Cancer Awareness Month in January.