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A long and happy road ahead.
Life is full of surprises, some pleasant, some not-so-pleasant. Nobody knows this better than Burlington resident, husband, dad, and brave cancer survivor Matt Fowler. He admits “As a guy in my 30s I never worried about cancer or physicals.”
His first big surprise came in 2020 when a concern prompted him to visit his local doctor. A week or so later, he was undergoing surgery for testicular cancer. Learning that this form of cancer was among the more curable forms and thinking that this procedure was “just a bump in the road,” Matt quickly and easily resumed his normal life.
Surprise number two came a few weeks later, “A radiologist discovered that the cancer had spread to my lymph nodes, and I would need to undergo nine weeks of chemo. It was a total shock.”
Eventually, with surgery and chemo behind him and a long life ahead, Matt dusted off his bicycle and started down the road which he refers to as “my second chance at life.” One year later and 50 pounds lighter, Matt entered in to his first organized cycling event, The Princess Margaret’s Northern Pass in Muskoka where he was not only surprised by his ability to ride but his ability to raise $3,500 for cancer research. Matt still values, “the Northern Pass cycling cap,” as his crowning achievement from that weekend.
The new, energized Matt is getting himself and a team of enthusiastic co-workers at Noble Estates Agency in gear for his next big challenge, the Ride to Conquer Cancer. “Cancer is something we need to eradicate. Any money raised for research at The Princess Margaret is a good thing in my books. I still know people that are affected by it.”
Life had one more surprise for Matt. After battling and surviving testicular cancer Matt and his wife Nicole are thrilled to announce the upcoming arrival of their twin daughters in the Spring.