Soldier, Firefighter/EMT , Cancer - Mathew Stephen
Donation protected
Mat's service to others was abruptly halted due to undiagnosed health issues while deployed overseas which has become a huge financial and health burden and desperately needs help, so he can regain health and life balance to let his servant heart flourish again.
Mat has always wanted to help people. It began early in his childhood, but as an adult he one day witnessed an accident driving home from work and decided he needed to do something to help people. He started out as a volunteer firefighter, then became a part-time firefighter while keeping his full-time job. He still wanted to do more, so he joined the Texas National Guard.
In January of 2018, he voluntarily deployed to Egypt. During this time he met and fell in love with his new wife Erika. He was sick several times while deployed but the army didn’t find anything, but coincidentally, a buddy in his unit was diagnosed with testicular cancer and sent back to the states early. Mat returned in October and immediately went to Indiana to propose to Erika. While there, he got very sick and went to the emergency room. The diagnosis was stage 3 seminoma with intermediate rism testicular cancer and gave him a 70% success rate with immediate treatment. The army docs missed this not once but twice. With his new fiancé by his side, he immediately started chemotherapy. Mat was in Indiana through Feb of 2019 and went through 4 rounds of high dosage chemotherapy. From there he returned home to Texas to his full-time job, while still recovering from the detriment of chemotherapy on his body.
But cancer took its toll; the Chemotherapy has caused lung damage, hearing damage, neuropathy, memory loss and other effects being discovered every day. Aside from physical trauma, the illness affected the newlyweds financially. Paying many medical bills out of pocket. He had to fight with insurance companies, the VA and pay multiple deductibles and co-pays.
He and Erika got married in April and instead of starting their new life on a good financial footing, there have been more and more bills, plane tickets, and other expenses traveling between doctor visits and work, as well as struggles in finding alternate incomes. His savings have long been exhausted and the debt has raked up making it difficult with his new wife, to build their new life together. Mat's heart is to provide for his new family and to continue to help others in need, but the VA has been reviewing his claim for almost a year and just keep asking for more records.
The bottom line is Mat needs help. This is not an easy request from an already generous heart, but circumstances have brought him to ask for this help. He is recovering from his cancer but the stress just keeps taking its toll, which greatly influences his remission and recovery, and ability to work and give back. He wants to get healthy and start helping people again but right now Mat is the one in need of help. Medical bills add up quickly, but with some help, Mat can get back on his feet not only to provide for his new family but also to give back to his community where his passion truly lies.
We are grateful for anything you can give. If you cannot give, please share this on your social media. Thank you.
Mat has always wanted to help people. It began early in his childhood, but as an adult he one day witnessed an accident driving home from work and decided he needed to do something to help people. He started out as a volunteer firefighter, then became a part-time firefighter while keeping his full-time job. He still wanted to do more, so he joined the Texas National Guard.
In January of 2018, he voluntarily deployed to Egypt. During this time he met and fell in love with his new wife Erika. He was sick several times while deployed but the army didn’t find anything, but coincidentally, a buddy in his unit was diagnosed with testicular cancer and sent back to the states early. Mat returned in October and immediately went to Indiana to propose to Erika. While there, he got very sick and went to the emergency room. The diagnosis was stage 3 seminoma with intermediate rism testicular cancer and gave him a 70% success rate with immediate treatment. The army docs missed this not once but twice. With his new fiancé by his side, he immediately started chemotherapy. Mat was in Indiana through Feb of 2019 and went through 4 rounds of high dosage chemotherapy. From there he returned home to Texas to his full-time job, while still recovering from the detriment of chemotherapy on his body.
But cancer took its toll; the Chemotherapy has caused lung damage, hearing damage, neuropathy, memory loss and other effects being discovered every day. Aside from physical trauma, the illness affected the newlyweds financially. Paying many medical bills out of pocket. He had to fight with insurance companies, the VA and pay multiple deductibles and co-pays.
He and Erika got married in April and instead of starting their new life on a good financial footing, there have been more and more bills, plane tickets, and other expenses traveling between doctor visits and work, as well as struggles in finding alternate incomes. His savings have long been exhausted and the debt has raked up making it difficult with his new wife, to build their new life together. Mat's heart is to provide for his new family and to continue to help others in need, but the VA has been reviewing his claim for almost a year and just keep asking for more records.
The bottom line is Mat needs help. This is not an easy request from an already generous heart, but circumstances have brought him to ask for this help. He is recovering from his cancer but the stress just keeps taking its toll, which greatly influences his remission and recovery, and ability to work and give back. He wants to get healthy and start helping people again but right now Mat is the one in need of help. Medical bills add up quickly, but with some help, Mat can get back on his feet not only to provide for his new family but also to give back to his community where his passion truly lies.
We are grateful for anything you can give. If you cannot give, please share this on your social media. Thank you.
Organizer and beneficiary
Chelle Honkus
Organizer
Deer Park, WA
mathew Honkus
Beneficiary
