My friend Mattie has been going through what I would call a version of hell. Diagnosed with Throat cancer in October - chemotherapy and radiation have been the worst I’ve ever seen endured. Luckily, when he began this fight he was strong, well nourished and ready for the fight of his life. He started strong vowing to stay positive and not miss any work because in the industry we work in, there are no such thing as paid days off. In the fitness field when we aren’t working with clients, we aren’t earning money. Mattie has missed fewer than 10 days in the last 7 months of treatment. Radiation that burned the skin off of his neck, and throat. Chemo therapy that has made him exhausted and nauseous. He’s had to use a feeding tube since December- dropping 30 pounds. Unable to swallow. But through it all he came to work - helping clients stay fit and healthy. We all thought he was finally on the road to recovery when new challenges hit hard- faced with life saving surgery to seal blood vessels and remove necrotic tissue that was causing him to choke and be unable to breathe. He is now recovering from this extensive surgery and will be in the ICU for an extended time before going home to heal. He’s facing medical bills that are a bit overwhelming. Insurance covers a lot- but when you need 3 scans in 2 weeks to try to figure out why the headaches are incapacitating they start rejecting the claims. Needing physical therapy to relearn how to swallow and use your tongue, and release a neck and shoulder that haven’t had good blood flow for 6 months. Every appointment with a co -pay, every pain medication costing more than you’d expect. His insurance doesn’t cover ambulance rides- but when you are coughing up blood at work there really is no other option. Mattie had signed up to ride the Pan Mass Challenge this August. Hoping to ride as a “survivor”. He’s ridden 9 times in the past and raised $29,720 to support cancer research, when he was not effected by it. This year he has to bow out….not even close to healed after this major surgery and set back. I’d like to help him get past the bills so that when he can finally swallow, eat, and get back on his beloved bike he can get back to life without uncontrollable medical debt.

If you feel compelled please donate- any amount, no matter how small will help bring some relief.