AltaMed Spotlight: Bob Lancaster Champion for Local Health Care, Warrior for Life

Even as a first grader, Bob Lancaster understood the importance of helping those less fortunate. When his teacher asked the class to collect coins for the March of Dimes, Bob knew he had to do something even though his family—six children with a single mother at the helm—couldn’t afford to donate. So he went door to door.

“I found that people were more than willing to give,” he says. That spirit of giving—and a passion for golf—have imbued his nearly 20-year relationship with AltaMed.

Bob’s commitment to the AltaMed golf tournament is unwavering. As a founder and active golf committee member, he has seen the event grow in stature and impact since its launch in 2002. The annual tournament, held at The Huntington Club, plays a crucial role in raising funds for families served by the AltaMed clinic in Huntington Beach. Formerly known as the Community Care Health Clinic and the Huntington Beach Community Clinic, this institution is a lifeline for many families in need of healthcare. 

Not only is he a Vietnam War veteran and a survivor of both colon cancer and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma due to Agent Orange exposure, but Bob also bounced back from COVID-19 and had three back surgeries in the last four years. 

“There’s no place for weakness,” he says. “You got to be a warrior.” That’s Bob’s attitude in life, and one he hopes is demonstrated every year at the tournament. Bob supports AltaMed in honor of his mother. “She taught me love,” he says, “and I couldn’t ask for any more than that.”

Bob’s mother was a significant influence on his philanthropic journey. Growing up, healthcare was a constant concern for her, and this became one of the driving forces behind the tournament. “There are so many people who don’t have access to care,” says Bob. “The more we can do for them, and the longer we can do it, the better off everyone is.”

Combining his love of golf and his fundraising savvy, Bob encourages others to give back by saying anyone can “jump in and help out. You can really enjoy doing it when you do it right.”