Melanoma, the most deadly of all skin cancers, shows no mercy. It takes the lives of young and old, male and female and those from every race and ethnicity. According to the American Cancer Society, the number of people affected by melanoma have been going up in the United States over the past 30 years. In 2014, about 76,000 new cases of melanoma were diagnosed in the United States. Of those, about 9,700 will likely die.
At this year’s Convenience Retailing University, being held Feb. 4-6 in Dallas (www.convenienceretailing.com), we will pull together as a true community to raise funds to fight this disease that has tragically affected the lives of thousands, including two members of our own industry: Lynn Wallis, president and CEO of Wallis Cos.; and Mark McKinney, senior vice president of operations for Huck’s/Martin & Bayley Inc.
In March 2001, Lynn Wallis lost her husband, Bill, then president and CEO of Wallis Cos., to melanoma. And eight years later, she lost a dear friend, Wallis COO Mark Martinovich, to melanoma as well.
Mark McKinney of Huck’s lost his son Andrew, a Huck’s district manager, at age 24 in 2013.
Deadly Toll
At age 58, Bill Wallis had no symptoms and did not feel ill in any way. He spotted a mole on his head and went to his dermatologist for a checkup. The doctor took a sample from the mole, and the biopsy revealed it was melanoma; it had already progressed to stage 4 cancer. Over the previous months, Bill had not experienced any pain. Before the biopsy, he had no way of knowing a cancerous growth had been progressing.
Mark Martinovich succumbed to melanoma at age 43 on March 20, 2009, two months after being diagnosed. Mark enjoyed a 15-year tenure at Wallis Cos. and was a popular figure in the convenience industry, known for his thoughtfulness and charm.
When asked what she felt Bill and Mark would want people to know about melanoma, Lynn says, “They would want people to know melanoma isn’t something that starts yesterday or even a month ago. Melanoma begins at a young age.
“We must take preventative measures from the time we are born, such as wearing sunscreen or protective clothing. There is a perception that being tan goes along with being beautiful, but it is not healthy. When it comes to melanoma, preventative care and behaviors are the most important things we can teach.”
Not Enough Time
In 2010, when Andrew McKinney was 21, he made an appointment for a haircut with his usual stylist. After his haircut, Andrew noticed some irritation on the back of his head and thought the stylist might have nicked his scalp with the scissors. Andrew asked his father, Mark, to take a look, at which point Mark advised his son to schedule a checkup with his dermatologist.
After the doctor’s appointment, Mark and his family packed up and left for vacation. Upon returning, Andrew’s doctor revealed the results of his biopsy. Andrew had melanoma and was advised to undergo surgery as soon as possible. Within two weeks, the McKinney family found one of the best surgeons available in the United States in St. Louis, and the doctor was available to remove Andrew’s cancerous growth.
Andrew successfully completed the surgery, but follow up-exams revealed the cancer had migrated into his lymph nodes and was aggressively metastasizing. Even so, Andrew and his family didn’t give up.
Andrew and his dad took to the road and headed to the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, the University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Treatment Center in Illinois and the Iowa City Cancer Treatment in Iowa. Together, father and son drove tens of thousands of miles and countless hours together from hospital to hospital in search of answers and a cure.
Mark recalls this time with his son as bittersweet. “Not many parents get to spend this much time with their children, especially when they are fighting against a deadly disease like cancer,” he says.
Andrew underwent six different chemotherapy treatments. Even though he and his family fought valiantly, Andrew lost his life three years later in 2013 at the age of 24.
How You Can Help
Please join us as we humbly stand with Lynn Wallis, Mark McKinney and others in support of finding a cure for melanoma. This year’s CARRE (Charitable Alliance for Restaurant and Retail Executives) effort at Convenience Retailing University supports the fight again melanoma, which is the most dangerous type of skin cancer, resulting in the most deaths from skin disease.
Stand Up to Cancer (SU2C) and the Melanoma Research Alliance (MRA) through a national competition selected the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) to lead the SU2C/MRA Melanoma Dream Team. This unique clinical study is pursuing new ways, based on reading a patient’s DNA, to select a more personalized and effective therapy for patients facing this horrible disease.
Every little bit helps. To provide financial support or to donate to the conference’s silent auction, please visit our website or contact Luke Kircher at (480) 337-3407 or lkircher@cspnet.com.
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