Matt’s Story

“I’ve done just over 11,000 kms since 2012 when this skin cancer kicked off in 2012. I was lucky enough to have the first four surgeries that year in my hometown hospital in Tumbarumba. Since then I’ve travelled to Wagga or Sydney for the remainder of the eight surgeries and a month of radiation. The radiation and oncology appointments were 5000ks in 2019. My 6 monthly skin checks (230k round trip) picked up a melanoma on my back in 2021, so that could be counted as a ninth surgery in Wagga and another 230k round trip.” This doesn’t include all the pre-surgery tests and consults with doctors. 

Matt had BCC (Basal cell Carcinoma) which was a Micronodular type where the nodules of cancer cells spread deeply into the dermis. Due to this, it is difficult for surgery to fully remove the tumour, and it is more likely to regrow after surgery. This was compounded for Matt with the BCC being close to his eye. Matt had to travel to Sydney to go to Chris O’Brien Lighthouse to have several surgeries, including a big one (Flap surgery) where tissue is moved from one part of the body to another. 

Matt was supported by his employer Essential Energy during his month of radiation. They organised for Matt to work in Wagga instead of Tumbarumba – which allowed him to work three quarters of a day’s work before having radiation treatment then traveling 110km home – until the treatment exhausted Matt too much to work.  

But with the surgeries later, Matt had to take time off between surgeries to recover. As it happened, part of his plan to take his mind off things was to adopt 4 calves to look after – Gizmo, Gertrude, Mabel and Daisy. 

Can Assist supported Matt with accommodation costs in Sydney, travel costs, and payment towards Greenslip for car registration. Can Assist “were awesome because they made a pretty rough time a little bit easier – less things to worry about. Reach out to them – there’s a heap of ways they can help”.