Kids & Family
Woodstock Boy, 11, Will Share Story In Cancer Fundraiser
Matthew McMahon, a patient at the Aflac Cancer Center of Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, will be featured as part of the 14th annual Care-A-Thon fundraiser.
An 11-year-old Woodstock boy will share his battle with cancer to metro Atlanta radio listeners later this month.
Matthew McMahon, the son of Chris and Kerri McMahon of Woodstock, will take part in the 14th annual News 95.5 & AM 750 WSB Care-a-Thon.
For 37 hours on July 31 and Aug. 1, 95.5 FM and AM 750 News/Talk WSB listeners will have the opportunity to provide help for patients with cancer or a blood disorder.
Care-A-Thon raises over $1M each year for vital research for the Aflac Cancer Center of Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, which is where Nolan is receiving his treatment.
Find out what's happening in Woodstock-Towne Lakewith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Matthew, a rising sixth grade student at Mill Creek Middle School, will start classes in the fall once he finishes chemotherapy.
Matthew loves to play sports. He plays soccer and is a goalie for Cherokee Impact soccer club. During the winter, he plays basketball.
In December, he started complaining of occasional pain in his right knee.
Matthew iced his knee after games, which sometimes helped. But the pain still kept coming back.
In January, he went to see a sports medicine therapist through the soccer club. He suggested an x-ray before he started to do anything. This is when they saw something growing out of Matthew’s femur.
They sent him right away to do an MRI, which showed a tumor. He had a biopsy done at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta at Egelston on Feb. 11, which confirmed that Matthew has osteosarcoma.
He started chemotherapy the last week in February at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta at Scottish Rite.
He completed his 10 weeks of chemotherapy and had surgery on May 20. He also had rotationplasty done at Shands Medical Center in Gainesville, Florida.
He will now have chemotherapy for another 4 months.
Rotationplasty was chosen to allow Matthew to remain active as a child and well into adulthood.
Money raised from the event will help fund family support services, research and the fellowship program at the Aflac Cancer Center. To donate, visit the Aflac Cancer Center's giving page for the event.
Matthew loves to play sports. He plays soccer and is a goalie for Cherokee Impact soccer club. During the winter, he plays basketball.
In December, he started complaining of occasional pain in his right knee.
Matthew iced his knee after games, which sometimes helped. But the pain still kept coming back.
In January, he went to see a sports medicine therapist through the soccer club. He suggested an x-ray before he started to do anything. This is when they saw something growing out of Matthew’s femur.
They sent him right away to do an MRI, which showed a tumor. He had a biopsy done at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta at Egelston on Feb. 11, which confirmed that Matthew has osteosarcoma.
He started chemotherapy the last week in February at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta at Scottish Rite.
He completed his 10 weeks of chemotherapy and had surgery on May 20. He also had rotationplasty done at Shands Medical Center in Gainesville, Florida.
He will now have chemotherapy for another 4 months.
Rotationplasty was chosen to allow Matthew to remain active as a child and well into adulthood.
Money raised from the event will help fund family support services, research and the fellowship program at the Aflac Cancer Center. To donate, visit the Aflac Cancer Center's giving page for the event.
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