Hi, I’m Steph. I’m raising funds for one of my best friends, truly one of the kindest souls I know, and her amazing partner, Matthew and their 4 children. Matthew and Brittany have been going through something no family ever expects, and right now they truly need all the support they can get.

What started as sudden and severe knee pain quickly turned into something much more serious. Matthew was admitted to the hospital in Oshawa, where he spent about a week undergoing tests, procedures, and eventually surgery after being diagnosed with a serious strep infection in his knee.

During that same hospital stay, doctors also discovered an unidentified mass. A CT scan came back clear, but the biopsy was inconclusive, leaving them without answers and knowing more testing and another surgery will be needed. Trying to process that unknown on top of everything else has been incredibly overwhelming.

After his knee surgery, Matthew was sent home with strong daily antibiotics being delivered and administered at home, with the hope that things would start to improve… but they didn’t.

Fast forward almost 2 weeks later, Matthew was still in significant pain, unable to bend his knee, and not getting any better. Knowing something was not right, they made the decision to go to Toronto General to push for answers.

After further testing there, it was confirmed that the infection in his knee was still very much present. From there, he was transferred to Toronto Western Hospital, where he underwent another surgery to wash out the infection. He remained in the hospital as doctors worked to get the infection under control and determine next steps, and was finally able to return home this Monday evening.

Through all of this, Matthew and Brittany have been doing everything they can to stay strong, but the reality is heavy. Long days in the hospital, constant worry, and the fear of the unknown have taken a toll. They are doing their best to be there for each other and for their four children, who need them now more than ever.

With everything going on, Matthew is now out of work, and the financial stress is quickly building on top of an already difficult situation. Between hospital stays, travel, ongoing medical care, and trying to keep things together at home, the pressure continues to grow.

Our goal is to raise enough to help cover the next six months of bills and monthly expenses so they can focus on the unknown road ahead, including further diagnoses, medical expenses, recovery, and caregiving, without the added weight of financial strain.

We are asking for any support you can give to help take some of that weight off their shoulders so they can focus on Matthew getting better and being there for their family. Whether it is a donation or simply sharing this page, it truly means more than you know.