Amanda E. Lamb ’04 died on September 14, 2019, in Cape Elizabeth, Maine

(The following was published in The Portland Press Herald on September 19, 2019)

Amanda Ellen Lamb, 36, passed away in Cape Elizabeth on Saturday, Sept. 14, 2019, surrounded by her family. She was born in Framingham, Mass. on October 10, 1982, the daughter of Kenneth and Joanne Rowe. She grew up in Holliston, Mass. and graduated from Holliston High School in 2000. She then attended Bowdoin College where she earned a BA in 2004, majoring in both biochemistry and Spanish. Amanda’s first job following Bowdoin was assisting in cancer research at the Zon Lab at Harvard/Boston Children’s. She continued on to clinical cancer research at Georgetown University in Washington, DC, before enrolling in a rigorous master’s program in genetic counseling at Johns Hopkins University and the National Institutes of Health in Baltimore and Bethesda, Md. She was one of four students in the country accepted into this prestigious program. After completing her thesis and her training she first worked as a genetic counselor at the NIH supporting clinical trials. She was recruited and employed by Maine Medical Center in Portland to be their cancer genetic counselor (2010-2015). During her time there, she helped countless families navigate their genetic cancer risk and treatment options. Amanda was passionate about her work and helped grow the genetic counseling program during her time there. She was twice summoned by Channel 6 News to be on their newscast to lend her expertise, the first time in 2013 on the topic of Angelina Jolie’s battle with breast cancer. Amanda fell in love with her Bowdoin College classmate, Colin Barclay Lamb, in 2002, and they have been inseparable ever since. On June 30, 2007, they were married at St Ann’s Episcopal Church, Kennebunkport, and had a spectacular reception under the moonlight at her favorite spot, Goose Rocks Beach. In August 2014, Amanda was diagnosed with appendiceal cancer during her first trimester of pregnancy. In spite of receiving chemotherapy throughout most of the pregnancy, on Feb. 20, 2015, she delivered a beautiful baby girl named Nola Cesarina Lamb. Now four-and-a-half-years-old, she has been the miracle gift to not only Amanda and Colin, but for their entire extended family and friends. Amanda fought courageously through the past five years of chemotherapy and surgeries, always with her husband and daughter at her side. In between treatments they travelled extensively in the US and abroad. Amanda converted those memories into photobooks so Nola will always remember those amazing five years together. Amanda will always be remembered for her beautiful smile, engaging personality and love for her family and friends. Her favorite times were throwing lavish birthday parties for Nola, hosting dance parties for the cousins at Goose Rocks Beach, and celebrating love and motherhood with her family and interlocked circles of friends. Amanda is survived by her beloved husband of twelve years, Colin Lamb, and her cherished daughter Nola Cesarina Lamb; her parents Kenneth and Joanne Rowe; her brother Timothy Rowe, sister-in-law Karen and children Addy and Evans; her brother Andrew Rowe, sister-in-law Roxanne and children Peyton and Jackson; mother-in-law and father-in-law George and Lizette Lamb; brother-in-law Carter Lamb and fiancée Carsyn Bock; godchildren Addy Rowe and Edward O’Keefe; and uncles, aunts and cousins all across the country. Amanda’s family wants to extend a special thanks to New England Cancer Specialists and Hospice of Southern Maine for their wonderful care. Memorial contributions can be made to: Amanda Rowe Lamb Scholarship Fund, Office of Gift Planning, Bowdoin College, 4100 College Station Brunswick, ME 04011.