Matthew Christopher Allen, Age 8
Lee’s Summit, MO

Home and Family

Matthew lives with his parents, Nick and Vanessa, older brother and younger sister. He has two dogs, Cinnamon and Kaycee, and a cat, Kaydee, who is his favorite.

Diagnosis

Matthew was diagnosed at the age of 5 with Mitochondrial Myopathy and Primary Neuromuscular Disease which causes muscle weakness, muscle cramping, fatigue, lack of endurance and poor balance. Mitochondrial diseases affect the mitochondria—tiny energy factories found inside almost all our cells.

School

Matthew is in the 3rd grade where he names his favorite subjects as lunch and snack, but he is very good at math and science and enjoys them both very much!

Interests

Matthew loves superheroes and Legos. He is currently most interested in Guardians of the Galaxy, The Lego Movie, Lego Chima, and Lego Ninjago. Matthew also loves magic, enjoys learning and performing tricks. He is also into robotics, science experiments, and crafts. He loves building things and learning how things work. Matt wants to be a Lego Designer/Master Builder when he grows up.

MDA Activities

Matthew’s favorite MDA activity is Summer Camp and he looks forward to that week all year long. He loves meeting and becoming friends with firefighters. He enjoys leading his own Muscle Walk team. You’ll also see Matthew at MDA Lock-Ups, golf tournaments, sponsor meetings, Harley rides and more! Attending MDA events are truly the highlight of his week!