37: Touching Cancer | Matt Eby

When you are in hard times, where do you pull your strength from? Being in hard times makes us feel we need something larger than ourselves. People pull help from rage and regret, or sometimes, people pull help from love and compassion. During a tiresome journey, where can our help come from? Today, we talk about touching cancer.

Born in the United States, Matt Eby now lives in Australia fulfilling the purpose of helping others. He really gives his life for service to people that need compassion, understanding, or empathy. Matt is currently serving at The Leukaemia Foundation where he works alongside people who are living with blood cancer. Over the years, Matt also supported families in the foster care system, served as a house parent for Aboriginal teenage boys, and managed a branch for a rental car agency. He has a natural gift for supporting individuals that need a dose of humanity, which fits his college degree in behavioral health.

Matt knows how to set a goal and execute. Following his curiosity, Matt goes from role to role where he feels called at that time. He believes in trial runs when transitioning into a new role or new interest. This helps him get rid of other options that don’t align with where he’s heading. One day, Matt found himself working with The Leukaemia Foundation and reflecting more deeply on life and purpose. He shares how the experience teaches him more about himself and humanity.

Listen as Matt talks about the humanity he witnessed while working with cancer patients, and how he was able to show up for the patients he interacted with. Matt often used his personal connection to cancer to empathize with patients. He cultivated a healthy relationship with his past trauma but understood that it’s not a sustainable source for supporting others. Matt shares how his faith became a new resource for him to pull from when supporting cancer patients. 

Matt says that his faith became a new lens for how he views life and his role in life. Whether we are in hard times or helping someone else in their journey, we also need help to show up fully and persevere. Where does our help come from? Our help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

Time stamps:

• [01:16] - Matt Eby recalls how he met Chris as a server during breakfast.
• [03:22] - What made Matt move to Australia? What are the biggest differences?
• [05:19] - Matt says it took three years to get a hang of Australian jargon, but he loves the differences and diversity.
• [07:12] - Matt explains why he believes in trial runs when transitioning into a new role or new interest.
• [10:11] - How did Matt get his start at the Leukaemia Foundation?
• [13:07] - Seeing people in their journey made Matt reflect more deeply on life and purpose.
• [15:43] - Matt talks about a small act of kindness he shared with a patient that left an impression on him.
• [18:18] - Has he ever seen that patient again?
• [20:01] - Matt shares the heartwarming event that happened one year after the patient’s death.
• [22:44] - What is it like to be a house parent for Aboriginal teenagers?
• [25:42] - Matt shares how he used his personal connection to cancer to help others in their cancer journeys.
• [28:27] - Becoming a believer became a resource for Matt to deal with hard times.
• [31:13] - Matt talks about how to recognize which portion of life is Life Calling.
• [34:10] - What is Matt’s Life Calling?
• [36:57] - Matt says his faith became a new lens for how he views life and his role in life.
• [38:36] - Matt imagines what he would do with time off if he could do anything.

Links:

• Chris Heinz
• Chris Heinz Co.
• Matt Eby LinkedIn
• The Leukaemia Foundation