Blood Cancer &
 Leukemia

Leukemia Cancer News - Return to Menu

Teen seeks uncommon donor

" Bone marrow needed: Aurora Christian grad suffers from leukemia

Matthew Neil, 19, who has been diagnosed with leukemia, is flanked by (from left) Carol Travis, a bone-marrow recruiter for LifeSource Blood Services, and his stepfather and mother, Tony and Carolyn Walker. The Aurora Christian graduate needs a bone-marrow transplant, but there is a shortage of African-American donors.

By Tim Wagner
STAFF WRITER

AURORA Matthew Neil sat at his kitchen table, as the reflection of the silver crucifix around his neck shimmered across a wide smile.

His mother, Carolyn Walker, stood to her son's left, while the mid-afternoon sun beamed through the sliding door and spotlighted a shiny pin beneath her shoulder. It said: "Believe."

Everyone, including Carolyn's husband and Matt's stepfather, Tony Walker, wore yellow Lance Armstrong bracelets on Monday at the family's West Side home.

Faith. Belief. Strength.

Together, those three words produce another: Hope.

On July 17, 2005, Matt was diagnosed with acute myelogenous leukemia (AML), which develops when there is a defect in the immature cells in the bone marrow. Though there are around 10,000 cases diagnosed annually in the United States, AML does not discriminate when it comes to race, gender or age, but generally afflicts older, white males.

Matt is a 19-year-old African-American.

A nagging sore throat, minor fever and fatigue initially led him to the doctor's office, where tests for strep throat proved negative. Further evaluation, along with telling blood tests, ultimately revealed cancer had invaded Matt's body.

Like any other obstacle the energetic straight-A student and aspiring football player has encountered during his young life, Matt took the news in stride.

"Looking back, I wasn't really as surprised as I thought I could have been," said Matt, a 2005 graduate of Aurora Christian School. "It wasn't, 'Oh my gosh, I have cancer!' It was more like, 'Hey, it happens to people.'"

Need for a donor

To those close to Matt, his reaction was predictable, his spirit unwavering. "This is one of those circumstances that the only way to have that kind of peace is to have that kind of faith," said Don Beebe, Matt's former football coach at Aurora Christian. "I don't think I've ever seen Matt in a bad mood and, in this case, he understands what he's facing, that it's God's will."

After several rounds of chemotherapy including one stint that resulted in a 28-day hospital stay Matt now requires a bone-marrow transplant, and his future hinges on finding a matching donor.

Carol Travis, a bone-marrow recruiter with LifeSource Blood Services in Glen Ellyn, says an African American's chances of locating a match are "one in a million." The National Bone Marrow Registry, she said, includes 2.5 million white people, 300,000 Hispanics and 200,000 blacks. A potential donor must be of the same race as the recipient.

Matt and his family were recently notified that a match had been found, but were given no details other than the person is an African American woman. Though the news is positive, there are no guarantees a transplant is imminent. For instance, the woman could decide not to go through with the process, could become pregnant, or encounter other variables which would disqualify the match, Travis said.

Bone-marrow drives

Regardless, the family, with the help of Travis, has called on local church leaders within the black community to help organize bone-marrow drives that are specifically designed for African-Americans. One was held last weekend at a North Aurora church, where Matt's biological father, Mike Neil, is pastor. The other is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Greater Mount Olive Church of God in Christ at 1039 Bonner Ave., Aurora.
Those who wish to become donors would simply fill out a consent form, which includes a short medical portion.

If deemed eligible, a small sample of blood would be drawn and names would be added to the registry of future donors. The process, which is free, takes about 15 minutes, said Travis, who is encouraging African-Americans to consider donating "whole blood" as well.

"One pint of blood saves three lives," Travis said. "We're looking for committed donors. Don't just sign up. Patients are waiting because they want to live."

Looking ahead

Though Matt and his family are hopeful his potential donor remains a candidate and, in turn, may ultimately save his life, they are continuing their quest to also help others, for they understand Matt's struggle is not isolated.
In the interim, Matt and his parents make frequent trips to the hospital, where his blood counts and immune system are monitored. Otherwise, Matt is confined to his house away from communicable germs and disease, and far removed from the outside world where he so desperately wants to leave his footprints.

He passes time alone by watching movies, playing video games, and tinkering with his new guitar something he's always wanted to learn, but never found a slot in his busy schedule.

"I just fill my day with things to do," Matt said. "I don't spend a whole lot of time thinking about anything."

After amassing a high school grade-point average of 3.69 and earning a 30 on his ACT, Matt was awarded an academic scholarship to DePauw University in Greencastle, Ind., where he one day plans to play football and pursue a degree in sports medicine.

"He worked all his life to be this type of student, and now he has this setback," Carolyn said of her son. "He'll go to school, but just not when we thought it would be. We trust God. We know that He has a plan for Matthew."

Site Map | Acute Myelogenous Leukemia