Cathy's Story
Cathy has designated Moffitt Cancer Center as a beneficiary of her estate. Her legacy gift allows her to accomplish three goals that mean the world to her:
- Financially support her grandson, who has special needs
- Support her church
- Fight cancer, which took the life of her beloved husband
By including her grandson, her church and Moffitt in her will, Cathy has found a way to help all three.
Cathy and her husband Ralph grew up in Michigan but loved living in Florida, where they relocated in the late 1980s. Ralph worked as a manager in local and state governments and stayed busy in his free time taking care of their yard and plants, refinishing furniture and detailing their cars. He loved hockey and closely followed the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Detroit Red Wings. The two loved to share pizza and a favorite brand of potato chips they ordered from Washington state. "He was my best friend, he was my mentor, he was my encourager, he was my rock," Cathy says. "We just loved living life together."
When Ralph was diagnosed with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer, he began receiving treatment at Moffitt. She credits Ralph's doctors and nurses for working valiantly with him, answering all questions honestly and forging a strong bond. After Ralph's treatment stopped, five infusion nurses came to the house just to visit—and to sample those special imported potato chips.
Although Ralph's fight with cancer is over, Cathy's is not. She is a dedicated Moffitt volunteer who still sees some of Ralph's nurses when she comes to the hospital. She is also proud of her giving plan that will support her grandson and her church—while financing much-needed research into the prevention and cure of pancreatic cancer.
"This is going to make a difference and benefit others who have pancreatic cancer," Cathy said. "Maybe not in my lifetime, but sometime in the future. I know, from the bottom of my heart, that Ralph would want this money to go to Moffitt."