My name is Mario Arron Mata and I have Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) aka the childhood cancer.

The reason I have set up a GoFundMe is so I can raise money for my recovery from my Stem Cell Transplant where I will not be able to work, pursue education, and even be around people for an entire year. I will need financial support among many other treatments, therapies, and medicines while recovering for me and my family.

Here is my story:

On November 20, 2024, I was rushed to the emergency room of St. Elizabeth in Fort Thomas, Kentucky, after taking a CBC blood test the day before that came back with a 3.2 Hemoglobin level, which is less than a quarter of the minimum normal level of 14. I was tested more and was told I have Leukemia. I was then transferred to the University of Cincinnati Blood Cancer Healing Center for further treatment and then was transferred to Monroe Carell Jr Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt in Nashville, Tennessee, so I can be closer to my family. After refractory in my leukemia, meaning my body did not respond well with normal treatment, I was advised to have a stem cell transplant which I have already received and am recovering from.

About me before diagnosis:

Before I was diagnosed, I was a sophomore physics student at Northern Kentucky University where I did research in Astrophysics and Solid-State physics along with being a teaching assistant and in multiple mentorship positions throughout different student organizations. I had a plan of joining the United States Navy through their NUPOC program where I would become a Nuclear Officer after graduating. After serving, I would earn a PhD in Physics where I would continue research and teaching aspiring physics, engineering, and mathematics students.