VIRGINIA BEACH, VA- Virginia Beach police officer Shaun Lindemeyer, a former Marine who served overseas in Operation Enduring Freedom, has made it his life's mission to serve not only his community but also his nation. He served in the Marine Corps from 2000 to 2004 as an infantry rifleman. In 2011, he married his wife, Sarah, and they have two children–Madelyn, 14, and Henry, 11.
Shaun joined the Virginia Beach Police Department in 2005 and has worked as a K-9 handler since 2015.
They were living their best lives until 2023, when Shaun underwent a routine physical as part of his employment with the police department.
According to a website tracking Shaun’s journey, a chest x-ray detected something was awry. That led to a chest CT scan, which showed mildly enlarged lymph nodes in his mediastinal/hilar area of the chest.
Six months later, Shaun began to experience choking sensations in his neck. A follow-up with an ENT and Pulmonologist led to more CT scans, which showed significant growth in the lymph nodes in his chest. A neck biopsy confirmed everyone’s worst fears; Shaun was diagnosed with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) and Small Lymphocytic Lymphoma (SLL).
Further tests showed “that he had all the bad mutations and worst prognostic markers that one can have for this type of cancer.” What that meant was that the cancer was more aggressive and would resist treatment sooner than most.
It is believed that Shaun’s cancer is connected to his military service, when he was exposed to burn pits. This is what was believed to have caused the cancer that took the life of Beau Biden, son of former President Joe Biden.
In 2024, Shaun began treatment, which seemed to be working well. However, in Feb 2025, Shaun started to experience unexplained fevers, night sweats, fatigue, and enlarged lymph nodes growing back. He was admitted through the ER for additional tests, which revealed extremely bad news.
A CT scan showed the cancer had become very aggressive again. A chest biopsy showed that the cancer had transformed into an extremely aggressive form of lymphoma known as Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma (DLBCL).
Shaun’s cancers are very different, with one being incurable but treatable, while the other one is curable, but with a low survival rate, primarily due to its aggressiveness and limited treatment options. Shaun’s best chance of survival is a stem cell transplant, however he must be in remission for it to have a chance of success.
Fortunately for Shaun, doctors have found at least ten 10/10 matches willing to donate their stem cells. Three have 12/12 matches, which is the best someone can have.
Since March 2025, Shaun has been undergoing various therapies to treat the DLBCL, some of which were successful for a short time, and others were not. This led to Shaun having to start a third, much more aggressive treatment.
As you can imagine, all of this treatment is extremely expensive. Since August 2025, Shaun and Sarah have been traveling to UVA for a weekly shot. If that is successful, Shaun can possibly go directly to a stem cell transplant, which his page calls “his best case scenario.”
Since last September, Shaun’s lymph nodes have begun to shrunk which indicates progress from his treatments. That means at least one or all of his cancer treatments are working or possibly stabilizing his cancer.
In October 2025, a stem cell donor was found. He was in the hospital until the beginning of December. Since his release, Shaun and Sarah have rented a house in Charlottesville to make the daily commute to UVA for his various treatments, including blood transfusions, platelets, and medication to prevent Host v. Graft Syndrome.
While Sarah tends to Shaun and helps him through his fight, she is not working. The Veterans Administration (VA) is not covering housing. To offset their expenses, a fundraiser has been set up for the family. Supporters can donate cash via Cash App, Venmo, or PayPal. There is also apparel available for purchase. The Venmo link did not work, but we have posted the QR code below.
Also, on February 7, a fundraiser for Shaun and his family is being held at Pups and Pints in Virginia Beach, according to a Facebook page.
Shaun is a hero who served his country honorably as a United States Marine and his city as a police officer and K9 handler. This is an outstanding cause and deserves our support.
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