Christy Luth Andrisen, Longstanding Member of the Denver Gala Host Committee and Dedicated Supporter of the MRF Shares Her Father’s Melanoma Story

“Dad loved spending time with his family. He cherished being together, from spontaneous dinner gatherings to afternoon visits, to holidays and birthday celebrations. He was grateful and loved his home. As he matured, I’d catch him tearing up at commercials or tearing up when reminiscing about my wedding weekend to Craig. He was a sincere man. The advice he gave to me throughout my careers boosted my confidence, he calculated numbers in his head and always scored high point words in Scrabble. He was a generous, intelligent, very thoughtful and humble man. Everyone who knew him would tell you how much he loved his family and that he would give the shirt off his back to someone in need. He taught me so many lessons- taught me the gift of education and encouraged me to make mistakes, learn from them and to keep trying. When my youngest sibling graduated from college, we presented Dad with a trophy in appreciation of putting us through private schools and colleges.

What surprised our family most about melanoma was the fact that despite his annual skin checks and his commitment to his yearly wellness visits, he still developed Stage IV melanoma. I will always remember my Dad’s reaction to the news of his diagnosis; he was shocked and shook his head in bewilderment that this could actually be. Curious as to how he had gotten the grave diagnosis, despite the great care he had had from his team of medical specialists throughout his life. The cancer had already spread to his lungs, his brain and to areas outside his liver. What shocked me the most was the fact that the doctor had reassured him of clear margins during a Mohs procedure to remove a melanoma from his ear lobe 3 years back. During that Mohs surgery, a cell had escaped and lay quiet in his body before spreading. He passed away 28 days following his diagnosis. Twenty-seven of those days he spent in the hospital between the ICU and the medical floor. What motivated me to act was to help people realize the importance of protecting their skin from the sun and to change the way in which they perceive melanoma. The reason I chose to get involved with the MRF was to honor and share Dad’s story. The dollars raised contribute to research, early detection programs and patient support. Over 212,000 Americans are expected to be diagnosed with melanoma in 2025, this work isn’t just personal for me – it’s urgent for everyone.

Dad would be proud to know that his story is helping to save lives. Since 2011, 17 new drugs have gained FDA approval significantly raising the survival rates for metastatic melanoma patients by nearly 50%. You can protect your own family by getting skin checks, supporting the research and learning about the warning signs. Together, we can make sure no family has to lose someone the way we lost Dad. As a family, we donated tissues from Dad’s skin and tumor cells in his brain to melanoma specialists around the nation to support the advancement in early detection. I also learned that there are genealogies to cancer: Dad had wild type melanoma- a rare and progressive type. Everyone can take action and participate in the cure for melanoma. Wide rim hats, UPF clothing, polarized sunglasses and zinc oxide have become the hip approach in guarding against this cancer. Spray tans are sexy and chic. Be cool! If you ever have the opportunity to play golf at Cherry Creek Country Club in Denver, take notice of the plaque by the water station and restrooms between holes 13 and 14; the plaque is etched with Dad’s signature bucket hat and name and serves as a reminder to wear sunscreen. We called him Dad, my Mom had an endearing nickname for him, his 5 grandchildren called him GrandDaddy and to everyone else, he was Bob.  

Robert J. Luth: July 20, 1944- April 28, 2010”