Brock Family Fights Cancer
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*Update!!* Check out the new YouTube channel dedicated to video updates and posts regarding the Brock's journey!
Click this link:
*Update end*
Hi my name is Lacey and I would like to introduce you to the amazing Brock family.
Starting with the kids, we have Max, a brilliant 7th grader who loves to read, competes in (and wins) local chess tournaments, and has a passion for plants and agriculture (he gets that from his dad).
And Maiya, an exceptional 8th grader whose mind is equal parts engineer and artist. She designs and creates clothing and knows how to operate the family's gas generator in order to power their RV.
Starting with the kids, we have Max, a brilliant 7th grader who loves to read, competes in (and wins) local chess tournaments, and has a passion for plants and agriculture (he gets that from his dad).
And Maiya, an exceptional 8th grader whose mind is equal parts engineer and artist. She designs and creates clothing and knows how to operate the family's gas generator in order to power their RV.
(Pictured: Matt, Maiya, and Max working their land together)
(Pictured: Matt playing Maiya at chess)
Malerie, their mother and my dear sister, is a lifelong learner currently attending midwifery school while apprenticing as a student midwife full-time. She takes tender loving care of her family and homestead while being on call for "a birth" nearly 24/7. All that and homework on top of it!
(Pictured: Matt and Malerie smiling together)
And finally Matt, husband and father. He is the hard-working rock of the family, supporting Malerie in her education while he manages a new business, and taking over her role in the home when she steps out to attend a birth. He plays hours of chess with Max and Maiya between hours at work and MORE hours working on their property. He laughs and bonds with his kids, he flirts with his wife, and anyone can see that he loves his family completely.
Matt has spent over a decade in rehabilitation work: he was in daily contact with people experiencing homelessness, joblessness, those living with mental illnesses, juveniles, and at-risk youths. He worked hard teaching job skills, preparing people who were incarcerated to reintegrate into the community, and supporting struggling kids to navigate out of the juvenile justice system.
Matt now finds himself in a position that he has helped many people navigate: he is temporarily homeless, currently laid off, and has just been diagnosed with stage 2b testicular cancer. More than that, he finds himself needing help and support in ways that he has never needed before, and never expected to.
And finally Matt, husband and father. He is the hard-working rock of the family, supporting Malerie in her education while he manages a new business, and taking over her role in the home when she steps out to attend a birth. He plays hours of chess with Max and Maiya between hours at work and MORE hours working on their property. He laughs and bonds with his kids, he flirts with his wife, and anyone can see that he loves his family completely.
Matt has spent over a decade in rehabilitation work: he was in daily contact with people experiencing homelessness, joblessness, those living with mental illnesses, juveniles, and at-risk youths. He worked hard teaching job skills, preparing people who were incarcerated to reintegrate into the community, and supporting struggling kids to navigate out of the juvenile justice system.
Matt now finds himself in a position that he has helped many people navigate: he is temporarily homeless, currently laid off, and has just been diagnosed with stage 2b testicular cancer. More than that, he finds himself needing help and support in ways that he has never needed before, and never expected to.
(Pictured: Rune (the puppy) choosing Matt for life)
(Pictured: Matt, smiling down at Malerie with their puppy Rune)
In late 2020, Matt needed a break from social work and the family decided to scale down. They sold their home and most of their possessions in order to live a simpler life in a tiny home, and the Brocks moved to Santa Fe to continue Malerie's midwifery training. When they arrived at the first hopeful property they quickly discovered that they were victims of a scam and the land and area they had been negotiating for was unfit for human occupancy. They had to pack up and move again, this time paying to stay in an RV park while they regrouped. The kids got into an amazing local school, Matt got a promising apprenticeship at a newer small business close to home, and the Brocks purchased their forever property.
Then in the fall of 2021 (after more than a few weeks of waiting for work and being told work was coming) Matt was suddenly and unexpectedly laid off when another covid-comeback hit the small company in the wallet. After weathering this financial storm and nearing the finish line of being able to return to work come spring, he was suddenly diagnosed with cancer.
Matt had been experiencing worsening pain in his abdomen and groin, but it had taken a backseat to the work he was doing on their property making up for a no-show septic subcontractor. The family had been living in an RV for over a year now, paying weekly for gasoline for their generator, clean water for drinking, cooking, and showering, using a laundromat for the family laundry, and he would do anything and everything he could to get them into their much-anticipated home. After putting in several long days of hard work to meet a deadline he realized he was in too much pain and decided to go into the emergency room.
What began as a "simple ER visit" in the early hours of December 22nd, 2021, turned the family's world upside down within a matter of hours. Matt went in at 3 am for pain, and by 6 am he had a prescription for antibiotics. All seemed well, but suddenly after reviewing his labs doctors put Matt in a room and started him on an IV. Someone came in and told him that his tests showed he likely had cancer. Next there would be a CT scan to confirm; stage 2b testicular cancer, spreading to lymph nodes and lungs. Instead of going home with antibiotics and resting before Christmas, Matt was to undergo abdominal surgery the very next day to remove one testicle and visually examine the affected lymph nodes. Not only that but he would need to break the news of cancer to his family and kids, 3 days before Christmas.
As he and Malerie began to come to terms with the news and the impending changes, even as they hugged their kids and all cried together, they felt the weight of all Matt does for them on a daily basis. The list of chores to keep the RV running smoothly is immense, and the upcoming surgery, recovery, and cancer treatment will already take so much strength and sacrifice from them all. 3+ months of chemo will prevent Matt from being able to return to work. COVID already greatly increased the home building costs and caused major delays on all fronts, delays that have led to an unexpected life in an RV as a family of four. For over a year they've soldiered on; living off-grid (hauling in water, living on propane and generators for heat and electricity) and paying a mortgage for a home that is yet to exist. So far they had counted their blessings and managed to look forward (mostly) cheerfully to the finish line, but finish line means something else now.
(Pictured: the first list of chores and instructions that Matt usually covers)
In late 2020, Matt needed a break from social work and the family decided to scale down. They sold their home and most of their possessions in order to live a simpler life in a tiny home, and the Brocks moved to Santa Fe to continue Malerie's midwifery training. When they arrived at the first hopeful property they quickly discovered that they were victims of a scam and the land and area they had been negotiating for was unfit for human occupancy. They had to pack up and move again, this time paying to stay in an RV park while they regrouped. The kids got into an amazing local school, Matt got a promising apprenticeship at a newer small business close to home, and the Brocks purchased their forever property.
Then in the fall of 2021 (after more than a few weeks of waiting for work and being told work was coming) Matt was suddenly and unexpectedly laid off when another covid-comeback hit the small company in the wallet. After weathering this financial storm and nearing the finish line of being able to return to work come spring, he was suddenly diagnosed with cancer.
Matt had been experiencing worsening pain in his abdomen and groin, but it had taken a backseat to the work he was doing on their property making up for a no-show septic subcontractor. The family had been living in an RV for over a year now, paying weekly for gasoline for their generator, clean water for drinking, cooking, and showering, using a laundromat for the family laundry, and he would do anything and everything he could to get them into their much-anticipated home. After putting in several long days of hard work to meet a deadline he realized he was in too much pain and decided to go into the emergency room.
What began as a "simple ER visit" in the early hours of December 22nd, 2021, turned the family's world upside down within a matter of hours. Matt went in at 3 am for pain, and by 6 am he had a prescription for antibiotics. All seemed well, but suddenly after reviewing his labs doctors put Matt in a room and started him on an IV. Someone came in and told him that his tests showed he likely had cancer. Next there would be a CT scan to confirm; stage 2b testicular cancer, spreading to lymph nodes and lungs. Instead of going home with antibiotics and resting before Christmas, Matt was to undergo abdominal surgery the very next day to remove one testicle and visually examine the affected lymph nodes. Not only that but he would need to break the news of cancer to his family and kids, 3 days before Christmas.
As he and Malerie began to come to terms with the news and the impending changes, even as they hugged their kids and all cried together, they felt the weight of all Matt does for them on a daily basis. The list of chores to keep the RV running smoothly is immense, and the upcoming surgery, recovery, and cancer treatment will already take so much strength and sacrifice from them all. 3+ months of chemo will prevent Matt from being able to return to work. COVID already greatly increased the home building costs and caused major delays on all fronts, delays that have led to an unexpected life in an RV as a family of four. For over a year they've soldiered on; living off-grid (hauling in water, living on propane and generators for heat and electricity) and paying a mortgage for a home that is yet to exist. So far they had counted their blessings and managed to look forward (mostly) cheerfully to the finish line, but finish line means something else now.
Now faced with the prospect of recovering from abdominal surgery in a bedroom the size of a bed, Matt has a more important finish line to cross. He will receive each of his (many) 3-hour-long chemo treatments alone, as the ongoing pandemic prevents Malerie from going into the building with him. When he returns and the side effects hit he will shuffle through tight spaces to their (very small) shared RV bathroom. There isn't room for privacy, let alone for two people, but Mal won't be able to leave his side and he won't want her to. He won't be able to lay down or sit in the shower if he feels weak or tired. There won't be enough space for the family to sit with him 24/7, but they will anyway. And while his prognosis remains good, his fight is only just beginning.
(Pictured: Matt looking impossibly pleasant before surgery on 12/23/21)
Here's where you come in. The Brock family has touched many lives across the 3 states they've called home, and while you may not be near enough in person to bring them a meal or offer a hug, you can send them a gift. As they navigate an entirely new kind of landscape, one fraught with uncertainty, you can ease their burden in a simple and tangible way. This fundraiser is aimed towards helping carry the family through this time, meeting whatever needs arise. Whether supplementing lost income, paying for the extensive medical treatment, or providing a meal, every dollar you send will be received with love and appreciation as you shoulder some of this weight for them.
Thank you for your time, thank you for your prayers, and thank you for your donations.
I love you Mal, Maiya, Max, and especially Matt.
(Pictured from left to right: Malerie, Maxton, (aunt) Lacey, Matt, and Maiya)
Organizer and beneficiary
Lacey Huge
Organizer
Santa Fe, NM
Malerie Brock
Beneficiary