Remembering Reggae Legend Bob Marley Who Died 40 Years Ago Today From Melanoma at Just 36 Years Old

Former Prime Minister of Jamaica, Edward Seaga, predicted the star’s reverence in his eulogy at Marley’s services back in his hometown of Kingston, where thousands of Jamaicans came to sing his praises.

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”Most people do not command recollection. Bob Marley was never seen. He was an experience which left an indelible, mystical imprint with each encounter,” he said. “Such a man cannot be erased from the mind. He is part of the collective consciousness of the nation.”

The singer-songwriter remains a global sensation today as the face of reggae, his unmistakable voice immediately recognized in hits such as No Woman, No Cry, Buffalo Soldier and Get Up Stand Up.

He sang of “poverty, justice, oppression, and cried out for dignity and hope,” as summed up by The New York Times. Marley was a member of The Wailers from 1963 to 1974, then began his solo career.

Marley was married to Rita Marley, his wife of 15 years, when he died, and he had eleven children.

A Melanoma Diagnosis

Marley was diagnosed with melanoma in 1977. The skin cancer started in his toe, and he was advised to have his toe amputated, but he decided not to because of religious reasons, and the impact it could have on his performances.

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The cancer metastasized and spread to the singer's brain, liver, and lungs. He eventually agreed to have part of his toe removed, but by the time he did, the cancer had already spread to his vital organs.

Around ninety percent of melanomas are caused by ultraviolet radiation from the sun, and Marley grew up in Jamaica’s scorching sun. All it takes is one severe burn. So if you've had more than you can count, it's time to start protecting yourself as much as possible.

"Melanomas are the deadliest type of skin cancer because they have a tendency to spread to other parts of the body," explains Dr. Anna Pavlick from NYU Langone Health’s Perlmutter Cancer Center. “Melanoma can develop from an existing mole or it can appear as a dark or pink growth on the skinand it can appear in places that were never exposed to the sun, such as the sinuses, the back of the eye, the anal/rectal area" and other areas.

The Sun is Not Your Friend: Most Melanomas are Caused by Sun Exposure

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