John Wayne's family using his legacy to help fight cancer, educate kids

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John Wayne's family is continuing his legacy by helping to fight cancer through the John Wayne Cancer Foundation.

The actor, born Marion Robert Morrison, beat lung cancer in 1964. 15 years later he died after a struggle with cancer of the stomach.

Wayne's granddaughter Anita La Cava Swift revealed in a new interview with Fox 4 that the Hollywood star became passionate about helping others fight the disease in his final days.

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1939:  L-R George Bancroft, John Wayne and Louise Platt on the set of the movie 'Stagecoach' in 1939.  (Michael Ochs Archives)

"My grandfather, when he was dying, asked his family to find a cure for cancer by using his image and likness, so that's what we've been doing," La Cava Swift said.

Currently, the foundation's main prevention program is to educate others, especially kids, about skin cancer through their "Block the Blaze" initative.

So far, La Cava Swift said the foundation has educated "over 50,000 children through summer programs and school about melanoma."

Wayne's granddaughter also discussed the significance of preventative steps for men and women, such as routine checkups.

View of American actor John Wayne (1907 - 1979) with two of his children, son John Ethan and daughter Aissa Wayne, as they are photographed in an unspecified restaurant, 1967. ( Silver Screen Collection)

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"If you are really good about getting your mammograms, men getting your prostate checked every year, and getting a body check for moles, you can catch the cancer early," she said. "That's one of the things we're really proud of."

John Wayne holding a rifle in a publicity photo for the movie "Shepherd of the Hills." (Getty Images)

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The John Wayne Cancer Foundation was formed in 1985. Its mission is to "bring courage, strength, and grit to the fight against cancer."