For years, Melissa Murray volunteered at community fundraising events supporting cancer care in Sheridan, from serving mimosas at Born in a Barn to participating in the Sheridan Memorial Hospital Foundation’s annual Link – Partners in Pink run/walk. Little did she know that one day, she would benefit from the very funds she helped raise.
Shortly after giving birth to her second child in 2022, Murray was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma. Suddenly, the fundraising efforts she had supported for years took on a deeply personal meaning.
“It gives it all more meaning,” Murray explained. “Some people say $10 is a bit pricey for a mimosa, but I can personally tell them that I’ve benefited from those funds. I understand where those funds go, and it makes you realize just how significant small things like a wig can be for someone.”
An unexpected diagnosis
Murray had looked forward to bringing home her second child, bonding with her newborn and adjusting to life as a mother of two. Instead, what should have been a time of celebration was overshadowed by a series of troubling symptoms.
During her pregnancy, Murray developed a rash on her arms that was initially attributed to pregnancy hormones. She also experienced fatigue, which she attributed to pregnancy, working full time and managing family life while her husband, a police officer, worked night shifts.
After giving birth, Murray continued to feel exhausted but assumed it was part of caring for a newborn and a one-year-old. She also noticed a small lump on her neck. Then came episodes of nausea and vomiting after eating or lying down.
Murray shared her symptoms with physician assistant Tracy Jons during her six-week postpartum follow-up appointment at Sheridan Memorial Hospital’s Women’s Clinic. Concerned about a possible blood clot in Murray’s neck, Jons referred her for a CT scan.
Although the scan ruled out a blood clot, it revealed something else: tumors throughout Murray’s body.
A biopsy performed by Dr. Shaun Gonda confirmed the diagnosis: Hodgkin lymphoma, a cancer of the lymphatic system, which is part of the body’s immune system.
Finding support close to home
Murray was referred to Sheridan Memorial Hospital’s Welch Cancer Center, where she underwent 12 rounds of chemotherapy between September 2022 and February 2023.
“My whole experience was just so great for it being such a terrible situation,” Murray said. “I would go in for chemo on Tuesdays and by about Friday, I could finally get out of bed. It sucked, but the team at the Welch Cancer Center is so amazing.”
Murray praised hematologist and oncologist Dr. Christian Kim; nurses Alexis Erickson, Nichole Ferguson, Sarah McDonald and Teal Scheuber-Bell; and certified nursing assistant Yolanda Peterson for their compassionate care.
“Everybody there is just so easy to work with,” Murray said. “They listen. They’re very people oriented. They talk to you and ask about your family. That made it a lot easier to go in for chemo.”
Murray recalled one particularly meaningful gesture from Peterson, who helped make her husband more comfortable while he accompanied her to chemotherapy.
“My husband worked the night shift and then came in with me for my chemo,” Murray recalled. “Yolanda shut off all the lights and got him a blanket because he was really tired.”
Beyond her care team, Murray found support from family, friends, employers and the Sheridan community.
Her husband took on additional parenting responsibilities, her mother visited from North Dakota whenever possible, and her mother-in-law relocated from Illinois to be closer to the family. A longtime client of Murray’s employer, First Northern Bank of Wyoming, even offered her mother-in-law a discounted short-term rental in Sheridan.
Murray and her husband also received support from their employers, which provided flexibility through sick leave and opportunities to work from home during her treatment.
Among the resources that helped Murray and her family were the Welch Cancer Center’s comfort care funds, which provided her with a wig at no cost and a book to help her young daughter understand what it means to have a parent with cancer.
These resources are made possible through community fundraising efforts like The Link – Partners in Pink and mimosa sales at Born in a Barn.
For Murray, receiving that support brought a new perspective to the events she had spent years volunteering for. She had experienced firsthand how even small donations could make a meaningful difference for someone facing cancer.
Giving back with a new perspective
After completing chemotherapy and being declared in remission, Murray continued volunteering at community fundraising events, now with a deeper appreciation for the people and families they support.
While volunteering at Born in a Barn in 2026, she connected with another person who had experienced cancer.
“My friend and I were wearing Mimosa Mafia T-shirts while we waited in line for food, and we struck up a conversation with the person in front of us about it,” she said. “We explained how the funds support cancer care, and the person told us they had also had cancer. Events like this bring people together. They remind us that someone else has gone through something similar. We can see where these funds go and the people they support.”
Murray also proudly participated in the Sheridan Memorial Hospital Foundation’s 18th annual Link – Partners in Pink on Oct. 17, joining hundreds of community members at Whitney Commons to support local cancer care. She participated alongside approximately 20 coworkers whose involvement was sponsored by First Northern Bank of Wyoming.
For anyone considering volunteering in their community, Murray’s advice is simple.
“Do it, because you never know when you might be the person needing support,” she said. “There are a lot of volunteer opportunities in Sheridan with the city, hospital and others.”
Her experience with cancer has also changed how she approaches everyday life.
“I’ve always known I’m really lucky, but I think I live in the moment a bit more,” she said. “I’ve learned to just slow down. The dishes can wait while you sit with your kids and watch their Spider-Man TV show with them.”
Above all, her experience reinforced the importance of leaning on others during difficult times.
“You can do hard things, and you can do it by relying on your people,” she said. “It’s okay to ask for help when people offer it.”
To learn more about the Welch Cancer Center, visit welchcancercenter.org or call 307.674.6022.
Interested in volunteering at SMH? Contact Foundation and Volunteer Coordinator Lauren Martinsen at 307.675.4629 or laurenmartinsen@sheridanhospital.org to learn more about volunteer opportunities.