MIA has been the very grateful recipient of several generous bequests, including from the Estate of the Late Helen Godwin. We share her story, with permission from her family.

The second of five children, Helen Godwin was born in 1965. Following a childhood in regional and rural NSW, she worked in several administrative roles in both the public and private sectors before completing an accounting diploma. This led to a successful career in the Australian Taxation Office where she rose to executive level.

Helen was devoted to her family and helped her mother care for her father during his many skin cancer treatments and surgeries prior to his passing. She later became her mother’s carer. Helen sadly passed away at the age of 59, only 3 months after her mother.

Helen’s father was treated by Professor John Thompson (who was then MIA Medical Director). Although her father died in 2015, the world-class treatment and care he received inspired Helen’s decision to support MIA through a bequest in her will.

Helen’s loving family are fully supportive of her decision. In November, they visited MIA’s Translational Research Laboratory at Charles Perkins Centre (University of Sydney) and met with Professor Georgina Long AO and several young researchers. They heard first-hand about the impact of Helen’s generosity and vision, including the important research projects her bequest has helped to support, which will ensure her legacy will continue to make a lasting difference.

Whether you are a past or current melanoma patient, a family member, partner or carer, or even if you haven’t been personally touched by melanoma, leaving a gift (known as a bequest) to MIA in your Will is a meaningful way to support our vital work and ensure that we reach our mission of zero deaths of melanoma.