In 2005, Sharon McMinn lost her husband, Jeff Goin, to cancer when he was 54 years old. Now, she works through her grief by giving back, showing an amazing commitment to Albertans facing cancer.
By Karin Olafson
When Sharon McMinn reflects on memories of her husband, Jeff Goin, the first word that comes to mind is “magic.”
“Jeff had an extraordinary ability to connect with people. He was deeply caring and had the ability to make anyone in his presence feel really special,” says McMinn, who lives in Sherwood Park. In 1992, Goin was diagnosed with B-cell lymphoma, a blood cancer. He was declared cancer-free after treatment, but 13 years later, he was diagnosed with a different, rare and aggressive blood cancer: peripheral T-cell lymphoma. Goin was admitted to the Cross Cancer Institute (Cross) for care, but died nine months later on August 13, 2005.
Before Goin passed, McMinn had planned a party for him, scheduled for August 20. Instead of cancelling the event after he died, McMinn decided to pivot and Goin’s party became a wake. McMinn made sure the event was one that her husband, a music-lover who was always the life of the party, would’ve loved. There were musicians, a silent auction, ponies and magicians, and ample food. It was also a moving and memorable fundraiser that raised more than $30,000 for the Alberta Cancer Foundation. Roughly 500 people attended to celebrate Goin’s life and raise funds.
“We’d had such a tough experience, but the people at the Cross were just wonderful. They made the whole experience so much better. From the moment we went inside the Cross, everybody there was just so compassionate, so kind, so gentle — they knew we were terrified and hurting and scared, and they were all amazing,” says McMinn.
After the wake, McMinn continued her generous giving as a way to remember Goin. The following summer, McMinn hosted a second fundraiser in memory of her husband: the Goin Strong Blues fundraiser in a rented hall. While McMinn became a monthly donor in June 2001, after Goin’s passing, those monthly contributions were given in his memory. In total, McMinn has raised a total of almost $40,000 in tribute gifts. McMinn has also left a gift to the Foundation in her will, an act she says is a final gesture of kindness and support for Albertans with cancer.
“Giving back is, for me, a way to honour Jeff for the rest of my life, and anyone else that I love that is fighting cancer,” says McMinn.
Her philanthropy also provides her with a sense of hope.
“I feel like I’m making an impact. I really do hope that by the time my children are old, cancer is just something that happened in the past,” says McMinn. “It would be wonderful to imagine that my donations are saving many lives. Really, if I could spare one person from this devastating disease, it would all be worth it.”
