Help Support Matt Bozarth with His Cancer Treatment

Update - May 2024:

Hi, my name is Rachel Bozarth and I am looking for help in supporting my brother, Matt Bozarth in his battle against cancer.

Matthew is a 27 year old childhood cancer (neuroblastoma) survivor who has been fighting cancer for the second time in his life since February 2023. He was diagnosed with metastatic paraganglioma, a rare neuroendocrine tumor that typically forms along major blood vessels and nerve pathways in the neck and head. His oncologist pegged the odds of being diagnosed with both neuroblastoma and metastatic paraganglioma in one’s life at less than 1 in 1,000,000,000,000 (one trillion).

While the tumor's initial location is around the carotid artery, it has spread aggressively throughout his body. Below is his most recent scan from April 2024. All the glowing spots (aside from the kidneys) are cancer.

Since his diagnosis, he has undergone radiation therapy and 12 rounds of chemotherapy. Matt and his wife, Gabriella, have been traveling to Mayo Clinic in Minnesota for doctors appointments across numerous specialties and to Duke Cancer Center in North Carolina for chemotherapy treatments.

Despite these efforts, Matt’s PET scans have shown mixed results, with little change observed in the size of his tumors. As of April 2024, Matt has started taking a more aggressive oral chemotherapy drug, Lenvima, which comes with significant costs and side effects.

Although our family and Matthew’s doctors are hopeful to see a positive impact from this medication in reducing the size of some of his tumors, the costs associated with aiding Matthew in getting the care he needs continue to be a significant concern throughout his battle. Matt and Gabriella have been working full-time throughout Matthew’s treatment, but this could quickly change as the side effects of his new medication can be much more severe than his previous treatment.

Your help can make a significant difference in easing the challenges of Matthew’s cancer journey. Our family is actively raising funds to support Matthew's cancer treatment expenses, and we're grateful for any support you can offer to help us move forward with his care. Please consider sharing this page with anyone who might be willing to contribute.

Thank you so much.

-The Bozarth & Hambley Families

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February 2023:

Hi, my name is Rachel Bozarth and I am looking for help in supporting my brother, Matthew Bozarth, fight against metastatic cancer.

Matthew is a 26 year old childhood cancer survivor who has been faced with the lasting effects that often come after cancer treatment. When he was diagnosed with Neuroblastoma in 1998, the doctors gave him a 30% chance of survival. Matthew fought hard and beat the disease, but now faces a new fight 25 years later.

On February 23rd, 2023, just two months prior to his first wedding anniversary, Matthew was diagnosed with cancer for a second time. This time with a metastatic paraganglioma. A paraganglioma is a rare neuroendocrine tumor that usually forms along major blood vessels and nerve pathways in your neck and head. In most cases, the tumor is benign, but it can be malignant (cancer). Matthew’s was originally benign in 2019 when doctors discovered it on Matthew’s carotid artery and skull base. As a result of this, he underwent radiation. After recent testing, doctors discovered that the paraganglioma has become cancerous and has spread throughout his body. This is very rare: with only 1 in about 6,000,000 people receiving such a diagnosis. Matthew has gone through dozens of tests and scans & has officially begun treatment. Matthew recently finished radiation therapy at Mayo Clinic and will start Chemotherapy on May 8th.

Unfortunately as many cancer survivors experience, cancer is a battle that can last a lifetime. The effects of these intensive treatments call for frequent doctor appointments, blood work, ultrasounds, yearly scans, and in Matthew’s case, cause more cancer.

During these uncertain and unfortunate times, our family remains hopeful and is staying positive that Matthew will beat cancer for a second time. He is a special case and we are lucky to have the opportunity to work with some of the best doctors in the world to treat him. While we are doing everything that we can to ensure the best treatment for him, costs have become a part of the equation in resolving the disease. Matthew and his wife, Gabriella, currently plan to continue working full time while Matthew undergoes treatment in anticipation of the expensive travel and medical costs that are to come.

With your help, we are hoping to make this stressful situation a little bit easier to manage. Our family is raising money to help fund various expenses during Matthew’s cancer battle, and we appreciate any and all support to help us move forward with his care. Please share this page with anyone who may want to help.

Thank you so much.

-The Bozarth & Hambley Families