Worst skin cancer struggles for research funds

Merkelcell.org Summary

After he died, Martin Whatley’s classic rock ‘n’ roll guitar became his last weapon against Merkel cell carcinoma. Whatley’s frustrated widow carefully pulled the pristine 1964 Fender Stratocaster from under their bed and put it up for auction on eBay, pledging half the proceeds for Merkel cell carcinoma research and the rest to pay his medical bills. See below for the full Associated Press story.

Overview

WASHINGTON — The deadliest form of skin cancer is a little-studied type you’ve probably never heard of. After he died, Martin Whatley’s classic rock ‘n’ roll guitar became his last weapon against it.

Whatley’s frustrated widow carefully pulled the pristine 1964 Fender Stratocaster from under their bed and put it up for auction on eBay, pledging half the proceeds for Merkel cell carcinoma research and the rest to pay his medical bills. She knew scientists were having little luck finding money to study a killer so rare that few doctors recognize it, much less know how to treat it.