HELP MATTHEW IN HIS FIGHT AGAINST LYMPHOMA
Donation protected
Matthew is 22 years old, a Nursing student, a first born son, first grandchild on the Newton side, a beloved brother, cousin, and nephew. He has been diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma which has forced him to put his nursing studies on hold as he battles cancer. He lives in the West Kootenays with his parents and younger brother, he has now relocated to Vancouver for treatment.
What Matthew would use the funds for:
- Fuel and travel expenses for his parents to visit him from the West Kootenays. Matthew’s Dad is having to take time off work in order to be with him during his chemotherapy and involves loss of salary as well as gas expenses to make multiple trips to the Coast where Matthew is receiving treatment. His Mom will also be with him some of the time, but will also be needed at home as Matthew’s younger brother is attending school.
- For household expenses
This is not the first time cancer has touched a Newton grandchild. Nine years ago, almost to the day that Matt was diagnosed, his younger cousin was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. Matthew was 12 years old when Angus was diagnosed, and Angus still says the best part of his three years of treatment was spent living with cousins Matthew and Markus.
Matt was drawn to nursing for many reasons. On his mother’s side, his uncle Wally is an oncology nurse. Another uncle, Bernie, is a therapist specializing in autism therapy. Matthew was also drawn to nursing because his younger brother Markus has been dealing with Type 1 Diabetes since Markus was diagnosed at the age of three. Many of Matthew’s younger cousins deal with chronic health issues which also inspired him into nursing as a career.
Matthew is the sort of young man who cracks a joke and carries on with what he needs to do. He is pragmatic and soft spoken, yet has capacity for great empathy and a high level of silliness that endears him to all his younger relatives. Matthew is a young man whose birth created a new family. We all used to fight to hold him, dance with him, be the one his grumpy little baby face woke up to from naps.
As a little child he was competitive and energetic, as a teen he became quieter and introspective, but he’s always been responsible, cooperative, and loving. He is the core of our extended family. Someone that we all agree deserves the best in life. He needs funds to help make this bump in the road a little bit easier to cope with. Matthew will be getting chemotherapy from what is considered the best Lymphoma team in the country at the BC Cancer Agency. He needed to move to Abbotsford to stay with his grandparents while he receives treatment to save his life. He needed to put his studies on hold to battle something that his future patients may experience. He has already stated that his cancer journey will make him a better nurse one day.
The treatment for Hodgkin’s lymphoma is typically 6 months. Even in the best case scenario there will be time needed for recovery, both body and mind. There are also late term effects from the chemo. Our family knows that a young person with cancer needs help to process an experience that most don’t need to think about until they are much older. We know from experience that it will take up to a year following treatment for his body to physically recover from what it’s been through. A year for his immune system to fully recover. A year in which his studies will be delayed. A year where a young man on the cusp of starting his life, needs to press pause in order to survive.
Matthew’s mixed ethnicity shouldn’t impact his treatment unless the standard chemotherapy is less effective than expected. On his mother’s side, Matthew is Filipino, on his father’s side he is a real mix of British, Norwegian, and German. There’s always a need for blood donation and bone marrow registry for those battling cancer. Matthew may need blood transfusions during treatment, hopefully he won’t require a bone marrow transplant. Any of you reading this between the ages of 17 and 35, especially if you are of mixed ethnicity, please consider registering as a potential bone marrow donor. It is an easy swab of your cheek through Canadian Blood Services.
https://blood.ca/en/stem-cells/eligibility-and-registration/register-donate-stem-cells
This young man is beloved, and deserving of help. Please share and donate to make his journey with cancer as bearable as possible.
What Matthew would use the funds for:
- Fuel and travel expenses for his parents to visit him from the West Kootenays. Matthew’s Dad is having to take time off work in order to be with him during his chemotherapy and involves loss of salary as well as gas expenses to make multiple trips to the Coast where Matthew is receiving treatment. His Mom will also be with him some of the time, but will also be needed at home as Matthew’s younger brother is attending school.
- For household expenses
This is not the first time cancer has touched a Newton grandchild. Nine years ago, almost to the day that Matt was diagnosed, his younger cousin was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. Matthew was 12 years old when Angus was diagnosed, and Angus still says the best part of his three years of treatment was spent living with cousins Matthew and Markus.
Matt was drawn to nursing for many reasons. On his mother’s side, his uncle Wally is an oncology nurse. Another uncle, Bernie, is a therapist specializing in autism therapy. Matthew was also drawn to nursing because his younger brother Markus has been dealing with Type 1 Diabetes since Markus was diagnosed at the age of three. Many of Matthew’s younger cousins deal with chronic health issues which also inspired him into nursing as a career.
Matthew is the sort of young man who cracks a joke and carries on with what he needs to do. He is pragmatic and soft spoken, yet has capacity for great empathy and a high level of silliness that endears him to all his younger relatives. Matthew is a young man whose birth created a new family. We all used to fight to hold him, dance with him, be the one his grumpy little baby face woke up to from naps.
As a little child he was competitive and energetic, as a teen he became quieter and introspective, but he’s always been responsible, cooperative, and loving. He is the core of our extended family. Someone that we all agree deserves the best in life. He needs funds to help make this bump in the road a little bit easier to cope with. Matthew will be getting chemotherapy from what is considered the best Lymphoma team in the country at the BC Cancer Agency. He needed to move to Abbotsford to stay with his grandparents while he receives treatment to save his life. He needed to put his studies on hold to battle something that his future patients may experience. He has already stated that his cancer journey will make him a better nurse one day.
The treatment for Hodgkin’s lymphoma is typically 6 months. Even in the best case scenario there will be time needed for recovery, both body and mind. There are also late term effects from the chemo. Our family knows that a young person with cancer needs help to process an experience that most don’t need to think about until they are much older. We know from experience that it will take up to a year following treatment for his body to physically recover from what it’s been through. A year for his immune system to fully recover. A year in which his studies will be delayed. A year where a young man on the cusp of starting his life, needs to press pause in order to survive.
Matthew’s mixed ethnicity shouldn’t impact his treatment unless the standard chemotherapy is less effective than expected. On his mother’s side, Matthew is Filipino, on his father’s side he is a real mix of British, Norwegian, and German. There’s always a need for blood donation and bone marrow registry for those battling cancer. Matthew may need blood transfusions during treatment, hopefully he won’t require a bone marrow transplant. Any of you reading this between the ages of 17 and 35, especially if you are of mixed ethnicity, please consider registering as a potential bone marrow donor. It is an easy swab of your cheek through Canadian Blood Services.
https://blood.ca/en/stem-cells/eligibility-and-registration/register-donate-stem-cells
This young man is beloved, and deserving of help. Please share and donate to make his journey with cancer as bearable as possible.
Fundraising team: Team Matthew (4)
Troy Newton
Organizer
Victoria, BC
Glen Newton
Beneficiary
Darlene Newton
Team member
Megan Newton
Team member
