Matt’s Story
Like many true Northern boys in the spring, I am out embracing the great outdoors with excitement for the warmer months ahead. This time of year always brings me back to 2011; I hopped in the shower after an exhilarating day ripping around the hunt camp on my four-wheeler and that’s when I felt it. A lump in my testicle.
I tried to shrug it off, but after 10 days it was still there. I decided it was time to visit my family doctor and get checked out.
The doctor agreed something was wrong and arranged an emergency ultrasound at the North Bay Regional Health Centre (NBRHC) where I was then immediately referred for a CT scan. Panic set in – I’d gone to the hospital alone, thinking I was just having a routine ultrasound. Little did I know this would be the first of many CT scans to come.
A few days later, I was in to see Dr. Bernard Goldfarb. He took one look at my testicle and said, “Nope – that’s coming out.” I was only 31 and remember saying, “Whoa. Whoa. Whoa… Can we at least discuss this?”
Surgery was scheduled the next week. Thankfully, the tumour was contained and was easy to remove. Lab tests post-surgery confirmed I had stage two testicular cancer.
I was closely monitored for several months but the cancer came back, this time in my lungs. An ultrasound and CT scan on January 30, 2012 confirmed it. I started chemotherapy less than two weeks later at NBRHC.
It may seem strange, but I had a really good experience. Yes, it was tough! But I felt very well cared for by every member of my healthcare team. They saved my life.
There was always a sense of urgency and to this day I still remain incredibly impressed with the speed at which everyone came together. Diagnosis, referrals, surgery and chemotherapy – everything happened so quickly and was well-coordinated.
Your donations played an essential part in the care I received at NBRHC. Thank you. Everything I needed for my treatment was available locally, thanks to the generosity of our community.
I am beyond grateful for the care I received and for the staff of NBRHC, which is why I have made a donation to the Cancer Care, Close to Home campaign.
Please join me today by making a donation to our hospital.
As a Campaign Volunteer, I am committed to helping our community raise more than $6 million to purchase state-of-the-art medical equipment to care for us and our loved ones, when we need it.
I am proud of my personal donation to the campaign and also that my employer and colleagues are standing behind this important project for our community, with their pledges to help advance care at our hospital. As the President & C.O.O. of North Bay Hydro, I care about my colleagues and their loved ones. They stood by me during my illness and I want to be there for them.
Please make your gift today. Together we can be champions for our community’s healthcare.
-Matt Payne
Patient, Donor & Campaign Volunteer
PS Please join me in making a donation. Our donations help our hospital purchase urgently needed advanced medical equipment to care for us, close to home.