As many of you know, my sister’s husband Matt was diagnosed with testicular cancer in July 2020. He had two surgeries and missed almost four months of work to complete treatment. Shockingly, a few months later in January 2021, he was diagnosed with a separate thyroid cancer resulting in two more surgeries and radiation. Both Matt and Laura believed he was out of the woods and were excited to be facing both their wedding and the birth of their little boy without the looming threat of cancer for the first time in a year and a half.

 

However, in the last months of their pregnancy, Matt and Laura learned that his cancer has spread. He has stage lllc metastatic testicular cancer in his liver and abdomen. He was advised to begin an aggressive chemotherapy regimen immediately. In order for Matt to be able to participate in their baby’s birth, they delayed his treatment by a week and induced labor at 37 ½ weeks. Macklin Fox Shepherd was born on March 11, with Matt catching baby Macklin himself! They were able to have 10 days together as a family before Matt started chemotherapy.

 

As if the challenges of navigating cancer treatment and newborn life weren’t enough, the Shepherd family will be moving to Nashville at the end of May for Laura to begin her residency in Emergency Medicine at Vanderbilt. While exciting, the grueling hours of residency training on top of Matt’s care, his inability to work while going through treatment, the need to find childcare, and moving away from the support system of friends and family they have in Columbus is daunting.

 

I’m starting this Go Fund Me on behalf of Laura and Matt to provide financial support for the challenges they face: mounting medical bills on top of the thousands already spent over the previous two years, lost employment, moving expenses, and childcare. We appreciate any amount you’re able to give and cannot thank friends and family enough for their outpouring of love and support.

You can follow Matt's journey on CaringBridge: https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/mattshepherd