Help Matthew Kelsey kick AML's butt

Matt is a Volunteer Firefighter with the Mt. Lebanon Fire Department and an Emergency Department Technician with St. Clair Hospital. He prides himself in being there to help the community when they are having an awful day—doing his best to make things better.


He himself had an awful day on December 11th.

For 3 weeks, he felt like he had been fighting a flu. Feeling somewhat better, he went to work as usual at the Emergency Department. His co-workers commented that he looked sick, but it was his Charge Nurse who said, “Matt, you look anemic.”

He agreed to have labs drawn and kept working.

Soon after, the doctor pulled him off of his duties and told him that his white blood cell count was through the roof, he had 7 platelets (meaning he was at high risk of bleeding out internally), and that she thought he probably had Leukemia.

He was transferred via ambulance to UPMC Shadyside, and the oncologists confirmed a diagnosis of Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML). He received 7 days of intense chemotherapy during his month-long stay.


Acute Myeloid Leukemia is rare, with only about 200,000 cases per year. And rarer in people Matt’s age (the median age is 67).

Matt was lucky that they caught his AML when they did, but he has a long road ahead of him. The doctors estimate that Matt will not be able to return to work for at least a year.


He and Sam have decided to postpone their October wedding until next year so he can enjoy it fully.

He’ll need at least 4 rounds of consolidation chemotherapy—once a month he’ll be admitted to the hospital for 6 days. And there’s a good chance he’ll need a bone marrow transplant at some point.


We’re raising money for Matt to help with his medical costs, so his sole focus can be fighting this thing.

With your help, Matt will be helping others with their awful days again soon. 

-Margaret Kelsey (Matt’s little sister)