9th Annual Celebration of Life
American Cancer Society
06JUN1999
My name is Matthew Hout, I am a 21 year old cancer survivor of five years. In the summer of '93 at the age of 15 I got sick, not thinking it was anything major just a little bug, I continued on with my daily activities, baseball, hanging out with friends. A few weeks have past and I got really sick. We went to my family doctor and there I was misdiagnosed with an upper respiratory infection. A few days past and I felt weaker, tired, unable to sleep, night sweats, loss of appetite, trouble breathing. On August 3rd, 1993 I went to see my mother's doctor, there an x-ray was taken of my chest and I was told I had to be admitted to the hospital right away. That night at the hospital the doctors drained four litters of fluids from my lungs, and I was put in to I.C.U. The next day August 4th, they were draining fluids from around my heart and the next thing I knew I was laying in a big blue airbed. I had gone in to cardiac arrest; I was on a respirator and had numerous I.V lines running out of me. I soon found out I was at another hospital, Rainbow Babies & Children.
There the doctors told my family to say good-bye to me before I was taken to radiology. They didn't expect me to return to PICU alive. An hour past and I was back in my room. The next day a brand new resident doctor told my parents "It’s Amazing" the triple dose of radiation has split and shrunk the tumor in my chest which has been closing my airways and squeezing my heart. Then I started my first of eighteen months of chemotherapy. I improved, and was taken off the respirator. I remember my doctor on my right side holding my hand and my mother on the left squeezing my hand. I was asked if I knew what cancer was, and was told that I had it. My mom and I sat there in tears.
I remember laying in bed one day and turning to my parents and saying "No matter how long, or how hard it'll be, I'm going to beat this" Yes, there was a day I asked "Why Me?" but had kept a positive attitude throughout this experience. And you know what? I'm here, and I won! I was giving a second chance at life; the man upstairs has plans for me. I have dedicated the rest of my life to fight cancer, so that no other 15 year old boy would have to go through what I had too, or that mother of 4 just diagnosed with breast cancer will know she'll be able to see her youngest graduated from high school.
I'd like to thank my mother, who played the role of mom, my best friend, my doctor, my nurse, and even my maid. My mother took a half a year off from work to be by my side. I love you mom! My father who kept a smile on my face with his jokes, as well as the faces on the doctors and nurses. My six brothers: Hank, Tom, Eddie, Mike, Marty and David who kept me going, kept me laughing, gave me hope and continued to pick on me. My one and only sister Eileen who made sure I kept up with school so I'd graduate from high school with my class. To my whole family, I wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for the love, support and togetherness. I love each and every one of you.
I would like to end on a little personal note, it's a saying that stuck with through the past five years, "Carpe Diem" Seize the day, and make the most out of your day. Thank You.
27JUN2003
My name is Matthew Hout, I'm a 25 year old cancer survivor, and this coming August will be my ten year anniversary of being diagnosed with cancer.
In the summer of 1993 at the age of 15, I got sick. Not thinking it was anything major just a little bug, I continued on with my daily activities. Another few weeks had past and I got worse. My parents took me to my family doctor and there I was misdiagnosed with an upper reparatory infection. A few days passed and I felt weaker, more tired, and unable to sleep with night sweats, loss of appetite, and trouble breathing. On August third, I went to see my mother's doctor; there, an x-ray was taken of my chest. I was told I had to be admitted to the Fairview Hospital right away. That night at the hospital the doctors drained four litters of fluids from my lungs, and i was put in to I.C.U. The next day, August 4, they were draining fluids from around my heart and the next thing I knew I was laying in a big blue airbed. I had gone in to cardiac arrest; I was on a respirator and had numerous I.V. lines running out of me. I soon found out I was at University Hospitals of Cleveland - Rainbows Babies & Children.
There the doctors told my family to say good-bye to me before I was taken to radiology. They didn't except me to return to PICU alive. An hour had past and I was back in my room. The following day a new resident doctor told my parents "It's Amazing"! The triple dose of radiation had split and shrunk the tumor in my chest which was closing my airways and squeezing my heart. I then started my first of eighteen months of chemotherapy. I improved and was taken off the respirator. I remember this day clearly, one of my doctors was with my mother in my room, the doctor holding my left hand and my mother holding my right. I was asked if I knew what cancer was, and informed that I had it. My mother and i sat there in tears.
I remember lying in my hospital bed in PICU one day, turning to my parents and saying "No matter how long or how hard it'll be, I'm going to beat this". There were a few days here and there when I would ask "Why me"? But I kept a positive attitude throughout this experience, and you know what? I'm here and I won! I was given a second chance at life. I have dedicated the rest of my life to fight cancer, so that no other fifteen year old boy would have to go through what I had too. That a mother of four just diagnosed with breast cancer will know, as well as her children that their mother will be able to see them graduate from high school.
The American Cancer Society's Relay for Life means many things to many people. The main reason is to win the victory over cancer. We are all here to fight the way against cancer, wither you are the survivor, the caregiver, or know someone who has survived. Wither you had a love one or a friend to someone who has lost to this dreaded disease. We gather our families, friends, and co-workers, we tie on our best walking shoes, and we show our spirit. Our Relay Spirit. We let nothing stop us, no wind and no rain. We walk late in the night and into the wee hours of the morning.
We are on a mission...
Our course is clear...
We will wipe out cancer and all its pain and fear.
I'd like to thank my mother, who played the role of mom, my best friend, my doctor, my nurse and maid. My mother took a half a year off from work to be by my side. I love you mom!
My father who kept a smile on my face with his jokes, as well as the faces of the doctors and nurses. My father retired so he could be with me after my mother had gone back to work.
My six brothers, Hank, Tom, Eddie, Mike, Marty, and David who kept me going, kept me laughing, gave me hope, and for continuing to pick on me.
My one and only sister Eileen, who made sure I kept up with school so I would graduate from Fairview High School with my class.
To Doctor Susan Shurin and the team at Rainbow Babies & Children's Oncology Department, thank you for putting up with my father's jokes and the space my family was taking up.
To my whole family, to all my friends, to everyone standing around this track today, I... We wouldn't be here today if it wasn’t for the love, support and the togetherness.
As some of you know I always end my speeches with a personal saying; it's a saying that stuck with me through the years. "Capre Diem". Seize the day, make the most out of your day, no matter how gloomy or frantic it may be.