Playing Tag and Living Life to the Fullest

Meet Matt
(with mom, Kat,
& big sis, Kyra)

Last night I was blessed to meet Matt, a spunky 6-year-old diagnosed with T-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. Matt, his mother Kat, and his older sister joined our team at our track training in Burlingame last night. Kat shared her family's story, while Matt ran up and down the bleachers chasing his sister, Kyra, and playing a lively game of tag.

Tag was always one of my favorite games growing up - if anyone remembers how exhilarating the chase could be: running, ducking, dodging, trying to avoid getting caught without exhausting yourself for the inevitable moment when you would be called to chase someone else... (Sidebar: We need to enact an impromptu game of Tag - who is in?)

I watched Matt with a smile, fondly remembering how much I enjoyed the game, while his mother reported that he is fresh from his most recent chemotherapy treatment. She told us that he would be in the hospital once a month, for 3 days at a time, for his chemo treatment - he would be released on a Thursday afternoon and would be back in his Kindergarten classroom on Friday morning. My teammates and I were baffled. Matt is a bright little man with light in his eyes and real zip in his step - just happy to play tag with his sister at a busy track while his mom talks to a bunch of grownups.

North Peninsula Teammate (TNT)
listening intently to Matt's story.
That's me (front, second from right)

I could not help but think that last night's game of Tag was practice for Matt - he has come a long way in his treatment, but unfortunately has a long way to go. He was diagnosed with leukemia in August 2009 (when doctors discovered a tumor the size of a pager in his chest, crushing his trachea), missed his Kindergarten year in 2010, and has survived numerous medical miracles since then. He has suffered unimaginable pain, has taken unmeasurable doses of medications with major side-effects (which might also have further side-effects in his future), and has missed days/weeks/months of his life (at times in a drug-induced coma so he could recover from the trauma of his treatment). But like all normal 6-year-old boys, Matt likes the game of Tag. And he is a fighter! He understands what is happening to him, he knows that he might not get better, but he is a living lesson on how to live life to the fullest.

If Matt has enough energy at the end of a busy Tuesday to sprint up and down bleachers screaming and laughing, then I have enough energy to raise funds to help in his fight and to push myself to train (while being mindful of my healing of course, which I am doing while working closely with my doctor, trainers, and coaches) and complete this marathon in his honor.

Me (left) and Kat (right) discussing
Project Matt!

I am proud to include Matt, and his lovely family, as a C.U.M.F.O.R.T.S. blanket's Honoree Teammate. We will be creating our first blanket for Matt, and will post his bio soon so that everyone on GeeTeam can get to know him. Please check back soon for details on Project Matt!

Thank you Matt & Kat, it was truly an honor to meet you. I am happy that C.U.M.F.O.R.T.S. blanket, GeeTeam, and I can be a part of your journey and that we can include you in ours! Go TEAM!

stay tuned!