Matthew Murphy

Matthew Murphy, a 14-year-old high school freshman, began December 28, 2012 as a normal day. It was Christmas break and Matthew went to wrestling practice. He then planned on coming home to prepare a piece on his bass trombone for an upcoming jazz competition and to relax with the latest Rick Riordan novel in the Heroes of Olympus five-book series.
Unfortunately, those plans were interrupted by a nose bleed that would not clot. Matthew went to the emergency room where blood tests revealed urgent concerns that needed to be addressed by the medical team at Duke University Medical Center. He was admitted to the hospital for a barrage of additional testing, and a week later, he was diagnosed with severe aplastic anemia.
Matthew’s bone marrow is not replenishing the blood cells his body needs to survive and he will need to undergo a bone marrow transplant. Thankfully, Matthew has a matching bone marrow donor, so his prognosis is promising. However, the bone marrow transplant process will mean a chemotherapy treatment, a five-week hospital stay, a minimum of six months to recover, and around-the-clock care. It is going to be difficult, but Matthew and his family are adjusting to “the new normal.”
To help with the transplant related expenses, Matthew’s family has teamed with the Bone Marrow & Cancer Foundation to set up a One-to-One Fund on his behalf. They appreciate all of the support and generosity of family, friends, and well-wishers and hope that Matthew will soon be back to discovering his potential as a musician, scholar, athlete, and other talents yet to be explored.
Click here to contribute to Matthew’s One-to-One Fund
Or you can send a check, payable to the Bone Marrow & Cancer Foundation.
Be sure to include Matthew’s name on the front of the check.
Send check to:
the Bone Marrow & Cancer Foundation
515 Madison Avenue, Suite 1130
New York, New York 10022