Matt (Mathew) Greenwood
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Matt (Mathew) Greenwood
Matt is a former pupil of Queen Mary Grammar School for Boys in Walsall from 2006 until 2013 and a current student at St Edmunds Hall in Oxford University. He has been there since 2013 studying Engineering in a 4 year course.Matt unknown to him developed a rare form of lung cancer which has developed into secondary metastatic bone cancer in his hips and leg.This was eventually diagnosed in July of this year after many many months of treatment at the Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford to the constant breakages to the bones in his hip and leg.Matt has told all his friends and family on facebook on the 20th October the doctors have told him he has between 6 to 9 months to live.This was after being advised by his doctors the chemotherapy had not reduced the cancers in his lungs.He is now at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Young Persons Unit in Edgbaston Birmingham.This unit is supported by the "Teenage Cancer Trust".
Mr Tim Swain the headmaster of Queen Mary Boys has visited Matt on Wednesday the 19th October and Matt has kept him updated as to the progress of his illness from the diagnosis.I understand the school will support him in any way to help him beat his illness.His college will also be doing the same.
Today on the 28th October Matt had surgery from about 9.00 a.m. and left the theater around 6.00 p.m and is now in intensive care.Matt had his cancerous leg with the tumour amputated and part of his hip removed.
Matt's family are of modest means living in a terraced house near the center of Walsall. It is unlikely the hospital will be able to offer any effective treatments for his cancer other than palliative care.Those decisions have yet to be made and to be discussed by the doctors with Matt and his family after he has woken up from the surgery.The surgeon advised the family the operation went well.It is likely funds will need to be raised to put him on one of two presently identified trials in other countries in the world where immunology anti cancer therapies are making advances and treating untreatable cancers.Matt had been working on his own just giving page prior to the surgery but is yet to finalize it.It is ironic Matt was a prizewinner in 2016 on his course for a joint project titled "Saving Oneself".
http://www.eng.ox.ac.uk/study-here/prizes-and-awards" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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Mr Tim Swain the headmaster of Queen Mary Boys has visited Matt on Wednesday the 19th October and Matt has kept him updated as to the progress of his illness from the diagnosis.I understand the school will support him in any way to help him beat his illness.His college will also be doing the same.
Today on the 28th October Matt had surgery from about 9.00 a.m. and left the theater around 6.00 p.m and is now in intensive care.Matt had his cancerous leg with the tumour amputated and part of his hip removed.
Matt's family are of modest means living in a terraced house near the center of Walsall. It is unlikely the hospital will be able to offer any effective treatments for his cancer other than palliative care.Those decisions have yet to be made and to be discussed by the doctors with Matt and his family after he has woken up from the surgery.The surgeon advised the family the operation went well.It is likely funds will need to be raised to put him on one of two presently identified trials in other countries in the world where immunology anti cancer therapies are making advances and treating untreatable cancers.Matt had been working on his own just giving page prior to the surgery but is yet to finalize it.It is ironic Matt was a prizewinner in 2016 on his course for a joint project titled "Saving Oneself".
http://www.eng.ox.ac.uk/study-here/prizes-and-awards" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Quasimodo has asked permission from the moderators to post this and has our full support - Moderators
In the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years.
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Re: Matt (Mathew) Greenwood
Is there anywhere that we can contribute, Qusimodoo?
Re: Matt (Mathew) Greenwood
Not at the moment I will post a link once it is set up as the surgery carried risks to life and he is still in intensive care.
In the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years.
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Re: Matt (Mathew) Greenwood
Sending good wishes and hoping for the best.
Re: Matt (Mathew) Greenwood
Thoughts and prayers going out to Matt and family xx
Re: Matt (Mathew) Greenwood
Since you posted a few weeks back about your friend's son, he has been in my thoughts.
Sending the very best wishes to Matt and his the family at this difficult time.
Sending the very best wishes to Matt and his the family at this difficult time.
Re: Matt (Mathew) Greenwood
Matt's Dad Peter posted the following message on facebook last night to family and friends.I got it via my eldest daughter as I am not on facebook as my dd had no wish to be trolled by her dad!
"Matt is doing really well.He went into intensive care last night.They kept him sedated until midday today,although he did try and wake up about 8 times during the night.He is now stable and fully awake.He is in pain,but the team are controlling it.He is making good progress.He has eaten and is joking and teasing the nurses during his lucid moments.I am very impressed with the one to one 24 hour care he is receiving.As Matt had been in hospital for a 100 days as of yesterday the staff managed to pull a few strings and get him his own room in ICU with a bed for Michaela to sleep in.I am residing in the relatives wing of what appears to be the oldest building on site!!"
Friday and Saturday were days of mixed and complex emotions.
My younger brothers wife L went to the Gurdwara at 4.00am as she does every morning for morning prayers normally before going to work as a school teacher, accompanied on this occasion by my eldest dd where they asked the granthi (priest) to do prayers on behalf of Matt.L's son is very close to Matt a bond formed through their years together at QM boys and the countless evenings over the years playing computer games into the early hours.My dd got to know Matt better in her years in the sixth form in the same school.
I had arranged some time ago not to put any work in my diary in order to spend it with my youngest in half term.On this overcast but dry day I went to Sutton Park with her and another father from WGHS accompanied by his dd in the same year and her brothers and cousin brother.There was a group of seven.While the operation was going on, I was sending and receiving texts from Peter while we were walking through the park with its quiet unspoken beauty.In the afternoon we all played football running up and down on one of the astro turf pictures in the leisure center next to the park reminding me of the days when I was growing up doing such things days on end.
At home in the early evening my eldest dd received a call to confirm she had been successful in her final interview on the Wednesday and now had her second offer of graduate employment.
On the Saturday I was doing my normal job as a taxi driver, it was continually on the go.My youngest at her hours tennis and in the afternoon to a Halloween party.My eldest in between I dropped off at the airport for her flight to Southern India who during her reading week is attending the wedding of one of her other friends.
I have learnt over the years life changes in an instant and you really do need to live the moments.The contrasts between different closely linked lives intertwined but individual at times can be stark.
During the week in conversations I recall one remark which carries so much truth."When you are young you chase money to the detriment of your health, when you are older you spend your money to chase your health."
My nephew has told Matt he is going to be the best man at his wedding.In the months and years to come we hope to turn that dream into a reality.
"Matt is doing really well.He went into intensive care last night.They kept him sedated until midday today,although he did try and wake up about 8 times during the night.He is now stable and fully awake.He is in pain,but the team are controlling it.He is making good progress.He has eaten and is joking and teasing the nurses during his lucid moments.I am very impressed with the one to one 24 hour care he is receiving.As Matt had been in hospital for a 100 days as of yesterday the staff managed to pull a few strings and get him his own room in ICU with a bed for Michaela to sleep in.I am residing in the relatives wing of what appears to be the oldest building on site!!"
Friday and Saturday were days of mixed and complex emotions.
My younger brothers wife L went to the Gurdwara at 4.00am as she does every morning for morning prayers normally before going to work as a school teacher, accompanied on this occasion by my eldest dd where they asked the granthi (priest) to do prayers on behalf of Matt.L's son is very close to Matt a bond formed through their years together at QM boys and the countless evenings over the years playing computer games into the early hours.My dd got to know Matt better in her years in the sixth form in the same school.
I had arranged some time ago not to put any work in my diary in order to spend it with my youngest in half term.On this overcast but dry day I went to Sutton Park with her and another father from WGHS accompanied by his dd in the same year and her brothers and cousin brother.There was a group of seven.While the operation was going on, I was sending and receiving texts from Peter while we were walking through the park with its quiet unspoken beauty.In the afternoon we all played football running up and down on one of the astro turf pictures in the leisure center next to the park reminding me of the days when I was growing up doing such things days on end.
At home in the early evening my eldest dd received a call to confirm she had been successful in her final interview on the Wednesday and now had her second offer of graduate employment.
On the Saturday I was doing my normal job as a taxi driver, it was continually on the go.My youngest at her hours tennis and in the afternoon to a Halloween party.My eldest in between I dropped off at the airport for her flight to Southern India who during her reading week is attending the wedding of one of her other friends.
I have learnt over the years life changes in an instant and you really do need to live the moments.The contrasts between different closely linked lives intertwined but individual at times can be stark.
During the week in conversations I recall one remark which carries so much truth."When you are young you chase money to the detriment of your health, when you are older you spend your money to chase your health."
My nephew has told Matt he is going to be the best man at his wedding.In the months and years to come we hope to turn that dream into a reality.
In the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years.
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Re: Matt (Mathew) Greenwood
Quasimodo, if only we could all be like Peter, for what it is worth I will be praying for him and will ask that the children at school do, too. Every little helps - after all , one God many names.
Re: Matt (Mathew) Greenwood
The family have been posting daily updates on Matt's condition on facebook so have just joined to keep myself updated.This here is a link.
https://www.facebook.com/matt.greenwood.58118" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
He is doing exceptionally well.He was moved out of intensive care on Monday afternoon and back in his old room on the young persons unit.They were expecting him to be in intensive care for 7 days rather than the 2 he was actually there.Nobody can believe the progress.He has sat on the edge of the bed twice.Matt and the family are planning and resolving the way forward.
https://www.facebook.com/matt.greenwood.58118" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
He is doing exceptionally well.He was moved out of intensive care on Monday afternoon and back in his old room on the young persons unit.They were expecting him to be in intensive care for 7 days rather than the 2 he was actually there.Nobody can believe the progress.He has sat on the edge of the bed twice.Matt and the family are planning and resolving the way forward.
In the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years.
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Re: Matt (Mathew) Greenwood
Peter texted me on Monday beginning with the following words;
"The reality of the situation does not bear thinking about. Matt is incredibly strong and I believe that will help him over the coming weeks and months. He is now surgically fit to go home, however he has a lung infection. He needs to get mobile before he can go home."
Matt and his family are working on the route forward.
"The reality of the situation does not bear thinking about. Matt is incredibly strong and I believe that will help him over the coming weeks and months. He is now surgically fit to go home, however he has a lung infection. He needs to get mobile before he can go home."
Matt and his family are working on the route forward.
In the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years.
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
