With heavy hearts, we remember and celebrate the life of a remarkable woman, Martina Will. Martina embodied strength, compassion, and an unshakable love for her family and community. She was, first and always, a devoted mother. Her children were the light of her life, and everything she did—every challenge she faced—was met with the fierce love only a mother can give. Her legacy lives on in their hearts, their laughter, and the values she so gracefully instilled in them.
Even during her own battle with GIST, she never stopped giving. She served on our health equity council, determined to make the journey easier for others facing the same fight. She fought her illness with unwavering courage, resilience, and grace. Martina was determined to visit her sister in Hawaii despite her weakened state. She sent us a picture of the ocean, peaceful and serene – Martina was a fighter until the end.
Though she is no longer with us in body, her spirit lives on in the lives she touched, the family she loved, and the causes she championed. We honor her not only for how she passed, but for how she lived—with purpose, kindness, and heart.
She is deeply loved. She will be forever missed.
“There’s a lot strength knowing you are not alone in this. Finding LRG allowed me to feel like there were other unicorns out there in that wilderness with me. Especially the more I connected with LRG at virtual and in person events, the more I realized that I had a really strong advocate in the LRG, that they were out there talking to the doctors. They were raising money for research. They were trying to bring new treatments into clinical trial phases. I don’t have the power or the energy to do that on my own, but knowing that there’s this organization, this small but fierce group of warriors who I don’t think any of them even have any skin in the game. I don’t think any of them are patients, to my knowledge, but they are incredibly knowledgeable, and they really fight for us.”
-Martina Will
