Cancer Researcher Inspired By Childhood Loss
Matthew MacDonough with his grandfather and mother. Matthew was inspired to pursue a career in cancer research after his grandfather passed away from prostate cancer. (Photo: Matthew MacDonough)
University of Illinois post-doctoral student, Matthew MacDonough made a life changing decision at fifteen to pursue a career in cancer research, after losing his grandfather to prostate cancer.
Matthew said at the time he really didn’t understand what cancer was, but since been determined to learn more about the disease that took his loved one.
"As I kept getting older the question of why kept getting bigger and bigger for me," said Matthew, "and that’s where I really wanted to fully understand what went down here and how can I fully learn about the outcome that he had to deal with."
Matthew sat down with Illinois Public Media’s Tiffany Jolley to talk about the grandfather who inspired him to pursue a career in cancer research.