Matt Cook Foundation Cares Package

By donating to the Matt Cook Foundation you can support a "Cares" package and help our vulnerable young adults as they face the fight of their lives.

If you are a young adult in Alberta facing a difficult cancer journey or a friend or family member of a young adult with this challenge, treatment can be lonely journey. And scary. Staying in touch with the outside world is paramount to keeping strong and determined.

Matt Cook was there: Facing a huge challenge in the fight of his life, wanting to stay connected to his family and friends, and needing a distraction and a warm blanket while undergoing in-patient treatment.

Matt may have lost his fight with cancer in April 2010, but his legacy lives on with the Matt Cook Foundation, a not for profit society and charitable foundation that raises awareness and offers support to young adults undergoing in-patient cancer treatment.

A Matt Cook Foundation Cares Package consists of an iPad Air and headphones, an iTunes card, a warm blanket, personal reflection journal and a flashlight—delivered in a rolling duffle bag, all elements needed to help keep engaged and comfortable while busy fighting cancer. And best of all it is theirs to keep.

Referrals for the Matt Cook Foundation Cares package can be made through the nursing manager, inpatient unit.

About Matt

Matthew Cook was born in Edmonton, Alberta on November 10, 1987. Graduating from St. Francis Xavier High School in 2005, Matthew planned to study medicine. After high school, Matt played hockey with the Bonnyville Pontiacs Junior A Hockey Club until January 2006, when he was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a rare type of cancer found most often in young people.

Matt’s treatments included 31 rounds of chemotherapy, a below knee amputation, annual surgeries to remove cancer tumors from his lungs, and heart surgery to repair a blockage so that Matt could return to his passion of playing sports.

Matt never quit setting personal goals.  Once his leg was amputated, Matt turned his attention to developing his sledge hockey skills. He trained with conviction and soon after, in September 2008, Matt was successful in his efforts to earn a spot on Team Canada, the Paralympics bound men’s sledge hockey team. 

Though Matt never wavered in his personal fight against the disease, the osteosarcoma progressed quickly and Matt’s health began to decline.  He did not achieve his goal to compete in the 2010 Paralympics, but in his short life Matt inspired thousands of people through volunteerism—as a leader, speaker and motivator. His “everything happens for a reason” philosophy helped him focus the time he had to finding meaning and positive energy in everything he did and everyone he touched.