Local man tries to raise $30K by 30th birthday for Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

(WXYZ) - From cross-country skiing in Antarctica to graduating with a Masters in Business, 29-year-old Matthew Schaar has accomplished a lot in his lifetime.

But in just a few weeks, before he rings in his third decade on February 10th, he’s hoping to do something even more momentous. He’s hoping to raise $30,000 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma society, a cause he’s passionate about.

At the age of 13, Matt was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma. For six months he underwent aggressive chemotherapy treatments, and now 17 years later he remains cancer free.

It’s not just his own battle that has affected him; grandparents on both sides of Matt’s family have been diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma, but they’ve all managed to beat the disease.

Matt attributes winning his battle to the people in his life. “It wasn’t a fight between my body and the disease. I had an arsenal of people around me—parents, friends, doctors—that all fought alongside me.”

For many people, turning 30 can signify the end of their youth. But Matt says you can see it as being closer to death or as a reason to live your life. He’s set some lofty goals like stepping foot on all seven continents which he recently accomplished. Yes, that does include Antarctica where he went whale watching and mountaineering. In Africa, he even ran into NBA star Kobe Bryant during a World Cup game.

His story is inspiring, and he’s hoping it will motivate others to do more for themselves, and for the people around them. Instead of having a party or getting presents for his 30th birthday, Matt is asking his friends and family to make donations to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

He’s also taken to social networking to spread the word—that’s how I heard about his story.

Matt sent out a tweet on the #backchannel , asking Metro Detroiters to donate just five dollars. Matt says after posting a link on his Facebook page, he started noticing it on others’ pages. It became a sort of “Pay It Forward” campaign, all through social media.

Whether or not Matt reaches the $30,000 mark, it’s moved him to start a web-based non-profit organization where others can start similar initiatives and be able to receive and track donations for a charity of their choice. While it’s currently in the works, he’s looking to call it “Birthdays for Charity”.

If you want to help Matt “celebrate” his birthday, click here to learn more about donating to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. For more on Matt’s story, you can check out his blog: “ The Detroitists ”.