Ireton Senior Celebrates Double Victory Over Cancer

By Irene Lagan
Herald Staff Writer
(From the issue of 5/22/03)

It began in June1997 for Mathew Stasik, then in sixth grade. What started as a lump in his throat became a challenge of life or death for the Alexandria teen. Donning a top hat and tails, Matt arrived at the Sheraton National Hotel in Arlington last Friday night for the Bishop Ireton High School prom with an entourage of four oncology nurses and a clinical technician from the INOVA Fairfax Hospital for Children.

Matt’s doctors declared him cancer-free for the second time on May 5. As a gesture of gratitude, he invited the caregivers who have seen him through years of battling leukemia to the prom to help him celebrate his victory.

Matt, who was featured on "Good Morning America" and in the front page last Sunday’s Washington Post, took the attention in stride.

"I’m just dead excited. I never thought it would be this big. It started as a joke," said Matt, 17, who is known for his humor and practical jokes. "There were times I just wasn’t sure that I’d make it through. It’s my way of repaying them."

Charawan High, 25, Kathleen O’Grady, 28, Kimberly Minus, 32, Kelly Printz, 25, and Susie Raedar, 29, were the five lucky members of Stasik’s team from the pediatric oncology ward who were able to attend the prom.

"The whole unit would have come if they could have. You only have to spend 10-15 minutes with Matt, and you will immediately fall in love with him," said Charawan High, 25, a clinical technician at INOVA Fairfax Hospital for Children. "We get very close to all our patients. We have a determination for life and celebrate all of our successes."

Matt, the fifth child of Patricia and Valerian Stasik of St. Bernadette Parish in Springfield, was 11 years old when doctors diagnosed him with non-Hodgkins lymphoma. He had just been selected for Johns Hopkins Talent Search, a program for kids who show exceptional promise academically, when he began the long road of treatment in August. As in all families whose children battle cancer, normal family life began to revolve around Matt’s care. The initial surgery to insert a catheter for easy access to his veins was followed by chemotherapy, including spinal taps every three to six weeks. Matt missed much of seventh grade, but relied on the prayers and support of friends and family. By his freshman year at Bishop Ireton two years later, he was feeling much better and was able to play soccer, lacrosse and join the dive team. Toward the end of freshman year another lump on his neck appeared. Once again, the Stasiks’ hearts sunk when they learned that the lump was symptomatic of leukemia, which meant that 90 percent of the cancer was in Matt’s bone marrow. The day before his brother Peter’s graduation from Ireton, Matt was admitted to INOVA Fairfax Hospital for surgery to insert another catheter. Although he was permitted four hours leave to attend the graduation, the months following had little relief from heavy chemo treatments. Matt remained home during his sophomore year.

"We came close to losing him so many times," said Valerian Stasik, Matt’s father. "It was always three steps forward and two back. We were always waiting for the other shoe to drop, but then we finally started to make progress."

The Stasiks credit Matt’s nurses with helping them through trying times.

"Although friends called or visited and continued to pray for him daily at school, Matt’s nurses were always there to cheer him up and draw him out when he was down," said Patricia Stasik, Matt’s mother. "Matt has changed as a person. All of this has made him think things through very deeply. Dealing with cancer is heavy stuff."

Because of some chemo drugs, Matt developed pancreatitis and had to be fed intravenously. In addition to the usual loss of hair, he became very thin and was often in pain.

"The chemo drugs really attack any fast growing cells in the body," said Patricia. "The pancreatitis was a due to a drug called L-asparaginase."

Despite the hardship and brushes with death, Matt never lost hope and always looked to brighter days.

"It is amazing to have watched him come back. Even in his weakest moments, Matt had an amazing capacity to look to the future," said Victoria Eichler, Stasik’s diving coach at Bishop Ireton. "If there is any kid in the class that deserves recognition, it is him. He is a positive person. It’s nice to be around someone who is so full of hope and life."

With the assistance of Kristie Kraynak, a Fairfax County teacher for homebound students, Matt maintained a basic high school curriculum despite the heavy treatments. Kraynak’s positive attitude and faith in Matt were a welcome relief to the somber routine of being a kid with cancer.

"She was very positive from the beginning," said Patricia. "She could adjust her teaching style to how Matt was feeling. Matt responded beautifully to her. As far as she was concerned, Matt was an A student."

When Matt returned to Ireton in his junior year, he was still undergoing treatment. Anxious to be "normal," Matt tried to play lacrosse and join the dive team. However, conflicting schedules and repeated sinus infections prevented him from continuing on either team. In addition to regular visits to the doctor, Matt’s extracurricular activities included work and playing the euphonium for the wind symphony.

Father Kevin M. Nadolski, principal, said Matt is "one of those students who lives the hope of Christ with every breath he takes and every choice he makes.

"My favorite story about Matt is Mrs. Eichler's, who remembers Matt risking to do a double flip at diving practice. Although he had never done one before he believed he could do it. And, he did," Father Nadolski said.
Apart from family, school friends and teachers, Matt developed close friendships with his nurses, doctors and the hospital staff. Stasik said the people who work with kids who have cancer are very special, and have helped the family through many difficult and frightening moments. Matt, she said, has bonded closely with many of his caregivers.

"Whenever we went for treatment, Matt would leave and go up to visit all the nurses," said Patricia Stasik. "We have gotten to know all the nurses and the doctors in Dr. Greenburg’s practice. Matt calls them by their first names."

At some point, Stasik said that Matt began joking with the nurses about accompanying him to the prom. The joke soon became an open invitation.

"We thought it was a lark," said Matt’s father. "But Matt was serious. I never thought it would get this big."

"The prom is always a celebration. Bishop Ireton is proud and blessed to have a man of such hope among us. Matt's healing is one of the many graces we celebrated at this prom," said Father Nadolski.
"It is a way of saying thank you," said Patricia. "We are all so grateful. We have been blessed with so many wonderful people, and so many people have been praying for Matt for six years."

Patricia believes that miracles happen every day. Faith, she said, has been an important part of their journey. One St. Bernadette’s parishioner organized a rosary group to pray for Matt and others who struggle with serious illness.

"Without our faith, we could not have gotten through this," she said. "Once we came to the realization that Matt’s situation was in God’s hands, things became much easier."

Although Matt is doing well, his bouts with cancer have changed the course of his siblings’ lives as well as his own. Two of Matt’s older sisters have gone into health care. Patricia Stasik said that as Matt has improved, all of their spirits are lighter.

Matt, who will graduate on May 30, plans to study medicine at Penn State University. "After graduation, I am going to have some fun and live out some of my childhood dreams," Matt said. "I always wanted to be a doctor. Then I can boss the nurses around." His powerful witness of hope in the midst of adversity will continue to be an inspiration to others. 

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