Main fundraiser photo

Help Matt Skinner Kick Myelofibrosis

Donation protected
My name is Matt Skinner.  I was diagnosed with Myelofibrosis, a very rare type of blood cancer, and the only cure is a Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT).   I am a husband, father, and pastor in Northern California.  My wife Carolyn and I have been married for almost 26 years, and we have two daughters - Lauren, a junior in college, and Katie, a sophomore in high school.  

On Sunday, November 1st, 2020, my wife took me to the ER for extreme fatigue, rapid heart rate, weakness, and dizziness.  We had been to Lake Tahoe the week prior, and for the first time ever I had a hard time breathing and acclimating to the altitude.  She had also been commenting on how my coloring was off.  Right away, the medical staff said I was severely anemic, and my lab work revealed numbers that were incredibly low across the board (hemoglobin, hematocrit, platelets, etc.).  I received my cancer diagnosis after 8 days in the hospital and after many tests - including a bone marrow biopsy.

I was referred by Kaiser Permanente to the Bone Marrow Transplant team at Stanford Healthcare.  After waiting a few months, we received word from Stanford that a bone marrow match had been found (praise God!), and I'm scheduled to be admitted into the hospital for the transplant on February 25th.  Once I am discharged from Stanford (approx. mid-to-late March), I am required to move into local lodging in Palo Alto for about 3 months.  I need to be close to the hospital because I have to go in three times a week for appointments/tests so that my recovery can be monitored.

While we do have medical insurance, there are substantial out-of-pocket expenses associated with my care...expenses we are not going to be able to provide for on our own.  Therefore, we have created this page in order to raise funds to help offset these expenses during our stay in Palo Alto (rent, groceries, gas, prescription copays, etc.). 

What we covet the most are your prayers for a successful transplant and recovery.  At the same time, if you are able to make a contribution, please know my family and I are extremely grateful.  Thank you so much for visiting our page.   

Warmly,

The Skinner Family
Donate

Donations 

  • Sharon Lynch
    • $1,000 
    • 3 yrs
  • Steve Farmer
    • $100 
    • 3 yrs
  • Anonymous
    • $100 
    • 3 yrs
  • Andrew & Tessa Valle
    • $100 
    • 3 yrs
  • Cathy Edson
    • $100 
    • 3 yrs
Donate

Organizer

Matt Skinner
Organizer
Fairfield, CA

Your easy, powerful, and trusted home for help

  • Easy

    Donate quickly and easily

  • Powerful

    Send help right to the people and causes you care about

  • Trusted

    Your donation is protected by the GoFundMe Giving Guarantee