Knox Martin spent his life inspiring others. Now, his legacy fuels brain cancer research.
In September 2017, Martin was diagnosed with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer. Even with this diagnosis, as well as numerous surgeries and treatments, he continued his studies at the University of Georgia.
“Knox would fly out to Los Angeles for treatments then fly right back to school to take a test,” said Riley Martin, Knox’s younger brother. “He was doing everything in his power to make sure he finished strong with his degree because he knew he could do it.”
Knox, [a member of Phi Gamma Delta,] graduated in 2020 and, only a few months later, passed away after fighting cancer for three years. He was 24.
Embracing Knox’s enthusiasm and spirit, his friends and family created the Knox Martin Foundation.
Established in 2021, KMF aims to fund innovative research and expand treatment options for glioblastoma. The foundation wants to provide families with hope, and eventually create a world where this disease is curable.
And a lot of it got started thanks to ties to Athens and the University of Georgia.
Every member of the foundation’s executive board and board of directors has a degree from UGA. The foundation is led by Knox’s mother Becky Martin (AB ‘91), president and chief executive officer, and the executive board includes classmates, family and fraternity brothers from Knox’s involvement in Greek Life on campus.
“We are a Dawg foundation through and through, and the UGA community is one of our biggest supporters,” said Riley, the KMF historian and two-time UGA graduate (BLA ‘21, MLA ‘23). “We love UGA, we love everything that it stands for, and we’re incredibly proud of our ties to the university.”
