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| Matt Fly Fishing in Yosemite - Oil on Canvas. 30" x 24". 2019 |
Matt Hay is a married father of three who works in media sales and marketing. He was diagnosed with NF2 during his sophomore year at Indiana University. As a result, over the last 15 years, Matt has dealt with deafness, facial paralysis, vision problems, and balance issues, as well as long recoveries from a spinal surgery, 2 brain surgeries, and 9 eye surgeries. Matt deals with NF2 by focusing on what he can do rather than what he cannot. In addition to being an avid fisherman, he spends his time raising funds for neurofibromatosis research through NF Walks and NF Endurance events like marathons and, most recently, an IRONMAN distance triathlon. He also earned his MBA degree from the Indiana University School of Business in 2010. These accomplishments were things he once thought impossible due to the physical challenges caused by NF2.
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| Prep Sketch for painting |
Matt is grateful for CTF’s NF awareness and fundraising work. His involvement with NF Forums and the physicians he has met at those events led him to learning about the auditory brainstem implant (ABI) that allows him to understand speech with the aid of lipreading.
By staying involved with the NF community and taking part in fundraising walks, runs, and other events, Matt is able to maintain certain aspects of his health that are within his control. He also appreciates the “upward spiral” that he experiences both mentally and physically from interacting with such a supportive community of caring people.
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