Help Matt Lupul Heal his Neck&Brain
Help Matt Heal his Neck and Brain from a Car Accident
Hello everyone! Matt Lupul has been a very close friend of mine since 2006 and he desperately needs our help. If you know Matt, you know what a compassionate, fun-loving and kind guy he is. A car accident two and a half years ago changed his life drastically. I’m hoping to raise money to get him the treatment he needs to finally heal his neck and brain.
The Accident
In December 2015, Matt was leaving his job as a personal trainer when he was struck by another vehicle on his driver’s side door. He was diagnosed with a C1/C2 injury, major whiplash as well as a brain injury, and has been living with severe chronic pain every single day since. This spinal cord injury is extremely rare (apparently only 2% of spinal cord injuries), many resulting in paralysis or death. He was unbelievably lucky to walk away from the accident, yet it has been an outright struggle, mentally and physically, ever since.
How He Has Gotten by Until Now
Since the accident Matt has mostly kept to himself. For 2 years now, he has been unable to work and has been mostly bedridden, unable to cook, clean, or take care of himself. He has always been very independent and believes in working hard to earn his money. As you can imagine, the fact that he now has no choice but to accept help from others has been an extremely difficult adjustment.
Close friends and family have stepped in to take care of him. A fellow survivor of a C1/C2 injury who is a specialist in brain rehab has been training Matt with brain biofeedback once a month. He has a pal that drives him and helps him carry his groceries home every month or so. Another friend used westjet dollars to fly him out to Kauai for a month in 2017 to a specialized treatment center. Unfortunately, another road block – the program didn’t have the room to house him like they thought they could and he couldn’t afford to live on the island to continue treatment.
Matt is very grateful to currently receive $1200 a month from disability which is nearly enough to cover his rent and groceries. He is also in the process of applying with his doctors to get on the AISH program.
Somehow, he has learned how to get through day after day of pain without anything more than advil and voltaren (a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory rub) and he has repeatedly refused medical professional’s recommendations to use addictive opioid medication to control his pain.
The only treatment he is currently receiving is his monthly brain biofeedback session. He is spending 75% of each day in bed in pain.
Matt just finished an 8-week chronic pain program through the Alberta government; he has benefited by seeing that he is not alone in his constant battle with pain. However, he refuses to believe that he won’t fully recover one day :)
No Settlement Date in Sight
Because he has been unable to work (he actually tried to push through the pain until he collapsed one day at work and ended up in the hospital) he has gone through all his savings while waiting for a settlement from insurance. A few gaps in the healthcare/insurance system have become very clear. This is not a game he can continue to wait out to get treatment. His health cannot afford to wait any longer, yet he can’t afford the treatment himself. That’s where we come in!
THE PLAN
What Matt needs and hasn’t received since the accident is consistent treatment for his neck and brain injury. After seeing surgeons, cervical spine experts, chronic pain doctors, and biomechanics specialists, the following treatment plan has been consolidated by his medical advisors to help Matt take a huge step forward toward a full recovery:
This treatment plan is going to cost Matt $1360 per week which adds up to $5440 per month. I really hope this GoFundMe will be able to set him up with three to six months of steady treatment. With our help, he will be able to take this massive step toward a full recovery so that he can get back to work and doing what he loves.
The more people that see this fundraiser the sooner Matt will get his life back, so even if you aren't able to donate please help us SPREAD THE WORD!!! #helplupulheal
More about Matt
Matt is a hilarious 28-year-old that loves to goof around and enjoy time with friends. He was born and raised in St.Albert, Alberta. Matt grew up competing as a track athlete, a swimmer and football player. In his early twenties he enjoyed managing busy restaurants, rarely turned down an opportunity to check out live music and found his love for personal training. Matt was extremely active, with both his own training and training others. Since the accident, his inability to workout and to train others has been a massive struggle for him.
Luckily, Matt found a passion for photography. A friend lent him a camera in 2016 and ever since then it’s been a form of therapy. Matt is looking forward to pursuing photography professionally in the future. Here are a few of his latest shots taken around Edmonton:
It has been very difficult for those closest to Matt to see him become a different person as a result of the injuries he is living with. I’m so glad he finally agreed to let me share his story and create this fundraiser.
You can follow Matt on Instagram @mjlupul.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read this page. Donations in any amount that you can afford will be sincerely appreciated. (even $5 or $10 donations can add up very quickly!)
Michelle Chornell
#helplupulheal
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