# @UIDanceMarathon on Facebook

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.facebook.com/1369344775238908/posts/10156886913167429
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/64308487-UIDanceMarathon-facebook
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/f58f01acbf.jpg
- **Posted:** 2019-01-28T20:05:39.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** UIDM (@uidancemarathon) — https://gondola.cc/uidancemarathon

## Caption

Garrett Michael Matthias was a funny, clever, and sensitive boy who loved life and had a huge heart. He was a superhero fan, loved his big sister, and couldn’t wait to start kindergarten as a Van Meter Bulldog! In September 2017, Garrett was diagnosed with Stage Four Embryonal Rhabdomyosarcoma at age four. He and his family were thrown into an unknown world of procedures, high dose chemo, radiation, needles, and other equally scary things.  Normalizing traumatic events became common place and taboo topics became everyday conversation. Garrett fought a noble cancer battle, always keeping his sense of humor and using his clever wit to make others laugh. After almost 10 months his cancer became ‘treatment resistant’ and his body couldn’t handle anymore torture. His death ripped a hole through his family’s hearts that will never fully heal.

To honor Garrett’s life, a booked titled ‘Dirty, Stupid, Cancer’ was created to explore Garrett’s journey, offer strength to those fighting their own cancer battle, and remind kids going through a similar battle that they are never alone.

This book will be available for purchase on February 1st—just in time for our 25th Big Event! Additionally, the Matthias family has agreed to donate $1 to Dance Marathon for every book sold in the first year of sales.

We are so honored to know the Matthias family and be able to share Garrett’s story! Stay tuned for more details on the upcoming book! #FTKAlways

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## Credits

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## Tags

ftkalways

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