Matthew's Story Matthew McGowan was a bright and vibrant student at Hill-Roberts who loved life.~ He was 7 years old and in the second grade when, in 2005,~he was diagnosed with a brain stem glioma.~ Gliomas account for 42% of all malignant brain tumors and their prognosis is very poor.~~~ ~ Matthew's treatments consisted of radiation and chemotherapy.~ Throughout the daily burdens of his illness, Matthew never lost his sense of humor or love of people.~ He continued to make people laugh and always thought of others even when his health began to significantly deteriorate. ~ Like most boys his age, he loved playing sports and was an avid fan of the area's local~teams.~ He also enjoyed playing x-box and watching SpongeBob, but most of all he loved spending time with his friends and family. ~ On March 17, 2007, at the age of 8 and surrounded by the love of his family,~Matthew lost his battle with cancer.~ He was an incredible child who touched many lives and will be greatly missed.