The summer of 2021, Richard and Moonyeen Anderson celebrated their 63rd wedding anniversary. They met in 1957 while attending college and got married soon after. They have six children: four daughters and two sons. Like most families, they have seen their share of cancer diagnoses. Their youngest daughter, Kjirstina, had stage IV melanoma, and Richard and Moonyeen feared they would lose her. Two other children, Mike and Rachelle, have also experienced a cancer diagnosis. In 2015, Richard received the news that he, too, had a type of cancer. Within days of diagnosis, he was able to see Christopher Dechet, MD, FACS, urologic cancer surgeon at Huntsman Cancer Institute (HCI). Richard鈥檚 treatment was successful, and six years later, his cancer has not returned. He says that "at Huntsman, I鈥檝e found the best place to go."
In gratitude for the care Richard received at HCI and wishing to make a difference, the Andersons have donated gifts totaling $1 million. In 2019, the family also established a planned gift of more than $1.3 million supporting HCI鈥檚 cancer research. Moonyeen says, "We are encouraged to help everyone that is on this earth that we are around. If they need help, we are here to do it."
Richard believes it is possible to make "Cancer History," as Jon Huntsman would say. He spent his professional career working in information technology and understands the power computers can bring to the cancer puzzle.
"If you can imagine it, you can do it," Richard says. "What will it take? Dedication, smart researchers, and people who are willing to contribute." Research is the key to solving many of the questions we still have about cancer. Richard says, "We think that鈥檚 a battle well worth fighting. We hope we鈥檙e able to be a part of that."