Melanoma Caregiver Shares How the MRF and the New Jersey Miles for Melanoma 5K Community Enriches Her Father’s Legacy

Guest blog post by Megan King:

“Eighteen years ago, I held my dad’s hand as he took his last breath. That day, in the early morning hours of August 7, surrounded by the people he loved most, he slipped away. 

He fought a short but valiant battle against, what we came to know in the community as, “The Beast.” It had only been four months since his melanoma diagnosis, but by that time the cancer had shown up all over in various internal metastases. 

We frantically scanned and scrolled through the pages of MPIP, the Melanoma Patient Information Pages, an early resource of the MRF, to find doctors, hospitals, treatments, anything that would help. We found guidance on those pages. We found empathy. We found a community that understood what we were fighting. 

After his passing, I once again looked to the MRF for a way to honor my father, remember him, keep him ever present in our lives, and once again the MRF did not let me down. 

For the past 17 years my family and I come together to plan, execute, and participate in the New Jersey Miles for Melanoma 5k. We dedicate our time and our hearts to an organization that we have seen transform the landscape of melanoma awareness and available treatments. 

Every year when I look at the funds the New Jersey community has raised, each dollar is a tribute to my father. Each dollar is a tribute to the people we have loved, lost, and who are still fighting this battle. Each dollar has given the MRF the ability to fund lifesaving treatments. Each dollar makes me want to work harder and press on for longer until we find a cure. 

This year, as the MRF celebrates its 30th anniversary and the New Jersey Miles for Melanoma 5k celebrates its 20th, I am proud to have shared in a small portion of their story and I am proud to continue to support the MRF and the work they do.”