My thoughts and prayers are with Matty and his family.

Two cancer like illnesses with Cov Cath athletes within the past three years. Very upsetting subject.

Him and his family are in our prayers. So sad, and we hope for a speedy recovery.

Two cancer like illnesses with Cov Cath athletes within the past three years. Very upsetting subject.

 

 

And what's even tougher, both young men play for the CovCath baseball team!

And what's even tougher, both young men play for the CovCath baseball team!

 

Bright future ahead for both young men also.

Our family has known the Kleins for quite some time and they are great people. We hope and pray that Matty gets better. And for the Klein family, our prayers are with them too.

A couple updates on Matty's situation:

 

This one came from his dad:

 

Thought I'd give you update on Matt. He has confused them with his situation. One of his white cell counts is dangerously low but all of his other stuff keeps getting better. He feels better and some counts improving or at least not getting worse for now. They are still uncertain what the heck he has. Another bone marrow biopsy set for Friday. He has lost about 20 lbs. but looks like he is feeling great and is in amazingly good spirits. Keep him in your prayers. Thanks.

 

This one is in regards to a small fundraiser that has been implemented by a friend of the Kleins to help purchase a laptop for Matty while he is in the hospital. He has been there for several weeks and will continue to stay there for some time.

 

We have had such a response to help with dinners, children, etc that we thought that we could have all the families who would like to help could donate to a fund to buy Mattie a laptop. The laptop would keep him in touch and help fight the boredom. If you would like to contribute to the purchase of a laptop for Mattie, just send a check or put a check in my mailbox (932 Northoak Dr. Villa Hills, Ky 41017). I believe a $10 donation from each family should be enough, based on the overwhelming response to many helping hands website. I would also like for everyone who contributes to write a note to Mattie via my email ([email protected]) and I will make a card with all of your notes. Any questions... Please feel free to write or call me. Also, send this email to anyone you know who would like to contribute.

Sandy Ritter

859-578-8066.

Matty is a great kid and I only hope the best for you man... God Bless..

Hope for a speedy recovery. Good luck :thumb:

My thoughts and prayers are with him.

UPDATE ON THE LAPTOP COMPUTER PURCHASE FOR MATTIE

 

Wow. What an outpouring of support! They have already received enough donations to purchase the laptop for Mattie and have asked that no more people send donations, as they want to be careful not to "overcollect" and have to return money. Of course, that is not to say that you can't send your own gift/card to Mattie at Children's Hospital. Thanks much!!! And best wishes Mattie!!!!

Thoughts and prayers from my family to yours. Get well soon!

From what I understand they have found a matching donor in Matty's sister (I believe her name is Kelly)! Here is the last update that I got as well:

 

We have some definitive news on Matt. They have a diagnosis but is is a "condition" unique to him and not a "disease" with a name. At the risk of a little too much detail, he has a white cell aplasia caused by cytotoxic t cells related to an auto immune problem - likely due to a strange confluence of auto immune disease in my family. So they don't think the white cells can come back on their own although they are still giving him some of the growth factor stuff they typically give to immuno-supressed patients that have had chemo. It's a really long way to say we hope and pray that one of our kids is a match for a transplant. Over the next few days they will get the immunology folks together with hematology and BMT to firm up the plan but things are definitely headed in that direction.....if there is a match. I think they are saying a transplant would be a cure and the alternative suppresive therapy would be a long term way to treat the symptoms that would be OK for an old geezer but not as good as a transplant for a child. Apparently they have the transplant procedure figured out pretty well.

 

 

 

From what I understand they have found a matching donor in Matty's sister (I believe her name is Kelly)! Here is the last update that I got as well:

 

We have some definitive news on Matt. They have a diagnosis but is is a "condition" unique to him and not a "disease" with a name. At the risk of a little too much detail, he has a white cell aplasia caused by cytotoxic t cells related to an auto immune problem - likely due to a strange confluence of auto immune disease in my family. So they don't think the white cells can come back on their own although they are still giving him some of the growth factor stuff they typically give to immuno-supressed patients that have had chemo. It's a really long way to say we hope and pray that one of our kids is a match for a transplant. Over the next few days they will get the immunology folks together with hematology and BMT to firm up the plan but things are definitely headed in that direction.....if there is a match. I think they are saying a transplant would be a cure and the alternative suppresive therapy would be a long term way to treat the symptoms that would be OK for an old geezer but not as good as a transplant for a child. Apparently they have the transplant procedure figured out pretty well.

All the best and hopefully, the procedure can be done for this young man.

Thoughts and prayers from LTC.