How Did John Wayne Die At 72? His Family Continues The Fight Today

On June 11, 1979, 72-year-old John Wayne passed away due to stomach cancer. According to Variety, just four months prior to The Duke's passing, he had undergone a scheduled gallbladder removal surgery, which ultimately led doctors to discover malignant tumors in his stomach. Thereafter, Wayne underwent a surgery that lasted over nine hours to get his stomach removed. In early May 1979, the "True Grit" star paid another visit to the hospital and underwent surgery to treat an intestinal obstruction, which revealed that he had more cancerous tissue. 

Although Wayne agreed to undergo chemotherapy and experimental treatment, doctors were ultimately unable to get him in a fit enough physical state to undergo the procedures. In 1985, after the Western film icon's death, his family founded The John Wayne Cancer Foundation to spread awareness about the disease and honor his memory. The non-profit's website notes that it exists "to lead the fight against cancer with courage, strength, and grit." The foundation accomplishes its purpose in numerous ways. It funds cancer research, awareness, and education, with the primary aim of supporting early detection, prevention, and treatment of cancer. 

To help equip doctors with modern technological methods for treating and researching cancer, the foundation offers a 2-year fellowship program at institutions like the University of California. The organization has also funded a program called Block The Blaze to remind the younger generation of what happens to their skin when they don't use sunscreen and help reduce the odds of contracting skin cancer. To raise funds to accomplish these goals and honor Wayne's legacy as a film star, the foundation also hosts The Grit Series half marathon, which has people running or walking through iconic locations featured in the movie icon's works.

Speaking to Fox News in February 2022, John Wayne's granddaughter, Anita La Cava Swift, shared why they had continued championing the John Wayne Cancer Foundation over the decades, saying, "My grandfather, when he was dying, asked his family to find a cure for cancer by using his image and likeness, so that's what we've been doing." Meanwhile, in an October 2014 chat with Fox News, John's son, Patrick Wayne, shared that they could never have anticipated their non-profit would continue thriving decades later. 

Between 2013 and 2014, the organization had raised around $800,000 towards its many causes. Over two decades, the foundation had contributed $18 million to cancer research. Given how JWCF's mission is centered around education, it's unsurprising that Cava Swift took her Fox News interview opportunity to encourage people to stay on top of their cancer screening tests, including mammograms and prostate exams, and remind people to keep an eye out for and be concerned about moles on their bodies.

It's also worth noting that John himself stressed the importance of cancer screenings during a December 1964 interview with the New York Times, which took place after he was diagnosed with lung cancer following routine screening. The "Rio Bravo" actor shared that although he had been advised to keep his diagnosis under wraps because it would negatively affect his public persona, he had ultimately opened up about it to encourage people to get screened and save their lives. John became cancer-free from the surprising leading cause of cancer deaths following a surgery.