Margaret’s Melanoma Journey and Leaving a Lasting Impact

Guest blog post by Keith Murdock, melanoma advocate and MRF supporter:

“Margaret, my wife, was diagnosed with stage 3 melanoma in 2005. What began as a “bothersome mole” on her foot soon changed our lives forever, progressing to stage 4 in less than a year. We were blessed to live near the Winship Cancer Institute at Emory University in Atlanta, the only NCI Comprehensive Cancer Center in Georgia, where she received treatment.

When she was first diagnosed, the only “cure” was surgery and a lot of experimental treatments. We lost count of her surgeries, though there were likely between 12 and 15. She endured many different treatments with horrible side effects. Throughout it all, our surgical and medical oncologists were caring and honest about the nature of these treatments for this incurable disease. We had complete faith in them and their dedication to finding a treatment that would heal her.

The Melanoma Research Foundation sponsored a conference at Emory where Margaret was invited to share her journey. This event brought together the melanoma community, including patients and care partners. It was through this experience that we learned about the MRF’s commitment to finding a cure and supporting those living with the disease. 

Their purpose is completely in line with our deep desire and commitment to those with melanoma.  We decided to leave a large portion of our estate to find a cure and support those with it. We are honored to include MRF in our estate plan.  We are not rich but God has richly blessed us.  Margaret passed away Feb 26, 2022 after fighting this disease for 17 years. She fought the good fight for these years. Through our gift to MRF, we want to reduce the number of people that develop it and to find a cure for those who do.” – Keith Murdock