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Matthew Rodrigues Age:12

Matthew Rodrigues, 12, is a student at Hillcrest Public School, one of the schools participating in the Coast-to-Coast school program. He was diagnosed with leukemia at the tender age of 18 months. Just prior to his 7th birthday, he became the third recipient and only child in North America and first patient at the Hospital for Sick Children to undergo a Haplo Positive Stem Transplant.

Through it all, and year after year, Matthew’s resilience, positive attitude and sheer determination to have “good days” has inspired one and all, including his young influential friends.

Now in remission, Matthew is the longest living survivor of this type of transplant and is leading an active busy life in Mississauga, Ontario. He personally asked the riders to dedicate 100 km of the Coast-to-Coast ride Against Cancer to the one who gave him life, and he insists, also “saved my life” -  his mother, Beverly Rodrigues, who donated mature stem cells for the procedure.

So to Beverly and all the brave donors who have given of themselves, we ride for you.