‘My heart is here’: After tough journey navigating lung cancer, officer returns to full duty
By Barry Simms
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BALTIMORE (WBAL) — November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month, and one Baltimore police officer shared his story of dedication to himself, his family and his job.
In March 2024, Stephen Diggs began working in the city’s Western District, an assignment he requested after graduating from the police academy. It’s a place he could not wait to get back to after battling a devastating illness.
Still, to most people’s surprise, Diggs says he’s blessed — blessed that he had Stage 3 lung cancer and not Stage 4.
Now, he is back on duty after doctors removed his left lung. He has had an extremely tough but remarkable journey. Diggs said it all started with a persistent and troubling cough. Soon after, tests showed he had a grapefruit-sized tumor in his left lung.
“I freaked out initially, the first nine days, I would say. I was having a moment with myself,” Diggs said.
Doctors performed surgery and needed to remove the whole lung.
“He took my left lung, and post-surgery, everything seemed fine for the first 12 hours. After that, I rapidly declined,” Diggs said.
Diggs was put on a ventilator for 22 days.
“I was in a coma-like state on the ventilator. There were two times I was no longer living. The doctors were great. I’m back, you know,” Diggs said.
Diggs’ recovery included learning how to walk again. He fulfilled his goal of coming back to full duty with the Baltimore police.
Now, he is again serving in the Western District, including the Penn North area — the scene of recent mass drug overdoses. He goes after guns and drugs.
“The drug aspect hits personally. My mom was an addict,” Diggs said. “She was a drug prostitute. My brother and I didn’t have a father growing up. I relate to a lot of the kids here. I think that’s why my heart is here,” Diggs said.
An African American officer intervened in Diggs’ life, and it inspired him.
“Just growing up in instability, I tell the young people here, ‘You don’t have to be a product of the environment you are in. You can overcome this,'” Diggs said.
Diggs believes he is a testament to that, and shares his experiences about life, love, caring and support with others.
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