Twenty-year-old Matthew Kelly is a juggler, but not the kind that throws around bowling pins, beanbags or even chainsaws. On any given day, Kelly masterfully juggles being a Bucks student, battling a lifelong blood disorder, and working a full-time job.
As if that wasn’t enough, Kelly keeps one more ball in the air, spending most of his days bringing happiness to countless families through his New Hope Charity Foundation, an organization Kelly founded to deliver toys to children in pediatric hospitals nationwide.
Born with a rare blood disorder, type 1 Congenital Dyserythropoietic Anemia (CDA), Kelly has been a lifelong patient of Children’s Hospital in Philadelphia (CHOP).
Type 1 CDA is characterized by moderate to severe anemia and is usually diagnosed in childhood or adolescence. Those who have anemia are unable to produce an adequate amount of healthy red blood cells to carry oxygen to tissues, causing the individual to feel tired and weak.
Type 1 CDA can cause the body to take in an abundance of iron, damaging tissues and organs. Iron overload can lead to a heart arrhythmia, congestive heart failure, diabetes and cirrhosis of the liver.
As a result, Kelly would be admitted into CHOP for blood transfusions every two weeks.
“I had a needle inserted into my abdomen every night to deliver medicine for my chelation therapy,” said Kelly.
Chelation therapy is a medical procedure that involves the administration of chelating agents to remove heavy metals from the body.
Kelly underwent surgery to remove his spleen and gallbladder. After the surgery, Kelly was administered his chelation therapy in pill form and has since been taken off chelation therapy all together. Kelly still goes to CHOP biannually to monitor his hemoglobin.
It was his extensive time in CHOP that motivated Kelly to found his charity after witnessing first hand the disparity of toys for children hospitalized in pediatric care facilities. Since 2010, Kelly has delivered 62,000 toys working with CHOP and through his own charity.
Kelly’s New Hope Charity Foundation first began as a graduation project for William Tennent High School in 2012, reaching out to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and then to Children’s Hospital of Texas. Now Kelly’s New Hope Charity Foundation extends to 62 children’s hospitals nationwide.
“I have learned strength and to never let go of hope. The creation of my organization has also helped me cope with my medical struggles,” said Kelly.
Kelly’s personal motto, “Live HOPE Daily,” teaches it is a choice to be happy, optimistic, persistent and enthusiastic. Kelly hopes to see others share their good fortunes and help spread happiness to children and families afflicted by illnesses.
“No matter how big New Hope will ever get, the best aspect of my job will always be seeing the joyful faces of children whose lives we impact on a daily basis,” said Kelly.
Kelly explained the difficulties he faces daily as the founder and C.E.O. of the New Hope Charity, saying, “Balancing schedules, toy shipments and locating new benefactors would seem to be the hardest aspects but the true struggle lies in keeping grounded and steady to our mission. Aiming to continuously bring hope, health, security, and happiness to patients in pediatric hospitals.”
Kelly’s entrepreneurial skills have gained him a network of shipping companies and other small companies willing to assist in his cause.
“I have been extremely lucky to have created a group of talented individuals in the fields of accounting, law and business who handle New Hope’s day- to-day operations,” said Kelly. Kelly also recruits helpers from different hospitals to continually grow his foundation.
Kelly’s weeks are scheduled tightly, attending Bucks every Tuesday and Thursday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday Kelly alternates between his charity work and his full-time job, as Kelly’s charity does not receive enough funding for it to be his only source of income, yet.
In recognition of Kelly’s accomplishments The Courier Times selected Kelly from a group of nominees to be a member of the 2014 class of Top 40 Under 40. The purpose of the award is “to recognize young talent in our community and congratulate them on their accomplishments,” said Amy Gianficaro, director of community affairs for The Intelligencer and The Courier Times.
The Courier Times reaches out to organizations around Bucks and Montgomery Counties for nominees and they have a nomination process on their website, buckscountycouriertimes.com.
“I am tremendously honored, the award was another thing that has validated my work and has shown how it affects others around me,” Kelly said about receiving the Top 40 Under 40 award.
Kelly hopes that others will follow in his path.”If anyone would like to donate [or] start their own drive,” Kelly says he would be more than willing to help in any good cause he’s approached with.
The New Hope Charity’s can be contacted at www.newhopecharity.org or at 267-209-0392.