Megan Katherine Dishop, M.D.

It is with deep love and sadness that we must announce the passing of Dr. Megan Katherine Dishop on July 10, 2023.  Megan had gone in to work the evening of July 9, and was discovered the following morning at her desk.  It is presumed that her passing was due to a heart attack with underlying existing health problems. 

It is difficult to estimate her contributions to the medical community at large and to families all over the world, for whom she made diagnoses in her role as a pediatric pathologist, specializing in interstitial lung disease.  She has a large body of scholarship from her decades of work, and has spoken worldwide on this area of specialty to both train her current colleagues and to prepare the next generation of clinical pathologists.   She consulted on countless cases from around the world, and was known to be able to identify disease from her extensive experience, and an astounding ability to recall the markers of the rarest of diseases while at the microscope, calling on her talent for pattern recognition and a catalog of examples in her visual memory.  She was a true talent in the medical field, both in clinical contributions, and more recently in setting direction as Director of the Laboratory at Phoenix Children's Hospital.  It was her dream to create a world-class laboratory there and had made great strides toward her vision during her tenure.  In addition, Megan recently implemented the motto in her department: "We put kids first."  This core value was not only true in her executive role, but it flowed from her heart as a person.  This principle will continue well into the future, as her financial legacy will almost entirely go to the Phoenix Children's Hospital Foundation and the Childrens Lung Disease Foundation (ChiLD), where she knew its impact would be felt the most.

Megan's family would be honored by any comments or tributes from her professional colleagues from nearly 30 years of practice, who know even better than we do her particular passion and expertise.  We have been blessed by the outpouring from the medical community, offering condolences, compliments, and memories, and we encourage you to share them below.  It has been impactful to us to realize not only the importance of her work, but also to understand how profound her impact was on the people around her…that her hallmarks were not only quality of work, but unwavering integrity of character and kindness to others.  One colleague cited her “humble genius,” and another recalled "She would let me share ideas, and she really listened to me."

Her family and friends, in fact, have known these qualities best through the years.  Megan was born as the first of identical twins in Peoria, Illinois, with an older brother as well.  Her family moved to Wilmington, Delaware, where she spent her elementary, middle, and high school years, graduating from Mt. Pleasant HS as editor of the yearbook and valedictorian in 1989.  From there, she became a pre-med student at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, graduating in 1993.  On to Wake Forest University, where she graduated from Medical School in 1997.  She spent her pathology residency at University of Kentucky, and also Baylor University, where she further specialized in pediatric pathology.  Megan worked at Texas Children's Hospital for the following years, and then her career progressed to the Children's Hospital of Colorado, the Children's Hospital of Minnesota, and finally Phoenix Children's Hospital.

Megan loved her Great Dane, Lily, who gave her many reasons to chuckle and eye-roll.  Megan was a fan of Duke basketball and the Phoenix Suns.  Since moving to Arizona, she became a knowledgeable collector of native American art and objects, especially Zuni owl pottery.  Megan also became the keeper of the family tree, collecting genealogy from generations past, and becoming the curator of countless family photos and heirlooms from ancestors.  Over the years, Megan was able to experience 6 continents worth of adventures while on speaking engagements, and always enjoyed bringing along a family member or two to enjoy them with her.

Megan’s loss is deeply felt by her mother and father, Mary Lou and Ken Dishop, who moved to Phoenix in 2021 to be close to her.  During the precious years that followed, a deep companionship and adult friendship resulted.  She is also survived by her brother Shawn and his family in Maine, and her twin sister Melissa and her family in Illinois, including 5 nieces and 2 nephews.

Friends, family, and colleagues are invited to post comments and upload pictures here on Megan's memorial website.  Please also note a Celebration of Life event is scheduled; to learn more, please refer to the Events tab, and RSVP there.  It is common for people to want to send flowers or donate money, so we have included a link to the Regal Dane Society; this organization has assumed responsibility for Lily and her ongoing medical bills for the rest of her life.  

Should you wish to send a note privately:

Mr & Mrs Ken Dishop

14016 N Medinan DrPhoenix, AZ 85022

That aside, we simply ask you to offer your comments and memories of Megan here for us to read and enjoy, and we urge you to love your own families well.