#MattWillHeal

Our son, brother, uncle, husband, father and friend - Matthew Williams - was diagnosed with Stage 4 Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma (ACC) in July 2014, just a few days after his 38th birthday. ACC is a rare disease, constituting approximately 10% of all head and neck tumors. It has no known symptoms or cause and most often occurs in the areas of the head and neck, in particular the salivary glands. 

Our family was in disbelief of the finding, as his diagnosis comes 17 years after we lost our mom to cancer. But with his strength, Matt lit a spark in us when, after an emotional exchange, he stated, "It is not my time. I am a survivor and I am going to take charge of my health."


Matthew is the middle sibling, 12 years older than me (Joy)  and 4 years younger than Reggie Jr.  Matthew has always been the go-to person for advice and peace of mind.  He graduated from Florida A&M University in 1998, with a double major in philosophy and religion, and has spent most of his life working to build community through his work at the Forum for Theological Exploration (FTE). He shares his life and love with his wife of 12 years, Alexis (a middle school teacher) and their two children - Zuri (9) and Sage (6). 

For the next several months, Matthew will relocate from Atlanta, Georgia to the state of Washington, thousands of miles from Alexis, Sage and Zuri, to undergo radiation treatment at one of the only places in the country that treats this rare form of cancer - the University of Washington Medical Center.


Matthew's financial obligation includes two types of radiation, companion immunotherapy treatment at the South Florida Bone Marrow/Stem Cell Transplant Institute, existing medical bills since diagnosis, and personal care and travel. Needless to say, the treatments and the cost of family visits for moral support, will far exceed his family’s financial capacity. For that reason, we are seeking at least $90,000 to help take the financial burden out of the equation and let them focus on his journey to healing.

Here are four things you can do within the next ten minutes to support Matthew:
 
1.  Hold Matthew and our family in your thoughts and prayers as we support his journey.  

2.  Exercise your generosity. Give any amount you can through this link and give as often as you’d like.

3.  Allow your gift to multiply by sharing this link with at least five people, encouraging them to match your donation.

4.  Like our FB page "Matthew's Journey to Wellness" at www.facebook.com/mattwillheal and invite your network to support our efforts.


We have long admired Matthew for serving as a pillar of his community, both at home and at large, and now is our opportunity to help him when he needs it most.

Alternative Ways to Give
If you’d prefer to give offline, you may donate to the ‘Matthew Williams Healing Fund’ at any Wells Fargo Bank. Reference the account number 8585446316

You can also send donations to: 
The Matthew Williams Healing Fund
C/O Alexis Edwards- Williams
P.O. Box 160215
Atlanta, GA 30316

How to Contact Matthew
If you would like to send Matthew personal messages of love and support during this time, you can do so by emailing [email redacted]

Matt’s Healing Blog
Also, we invite you to follow Matthew’s written journey at www.caringbridge.org/visit/supportcircle4matt where he has begun to journal about his experience.

Please stand with us as we join in financial support of Matthew's healing journey so he can focus on healing.
We are confident that, with your generosity and support, #MattWillHeal.

Humbly,
Joy and Reggie (Matthew's Sister and Brother) and The #MattWillHeal Team, our collective of family, friends & supporters, ....