Interview with Granny Evelyn, MATIO Grandparent to Student Brian.
Grandmother to 10-year-old Brian, who lives with Sickle Cell Disease, Granny Evelyn and her family joined MATIO in 2022 after a doctor’s referral. What began as a new program quickly became a source of comfort, connection, and community. Here, Granny Evelyn shares how the MATIO Method has helped Brian find calm and confidence and how their whole family has found a village of support.
How old is your grandson?
He’s 10 years old as of today.
What is Brian’s diagnosis?
Sickle Cell Disease.
When did your family first join the MATIO program?
We joined MATIO in 2022, and it’s truly become part of our family ever since. It came at a time when we were searching for connection and support, and we found both here.
How did you first hear about MATIO?
When Brian’s doctor retired from St. John’s Medical Center, he told us about MATIO and encouraged us to get involved. That referral turned out to be a blessing. This program arrived in our lives at just the right time.
Do his siblings and parents participate in programming as well?
Yes! His sister, his mom, and I all participate. MATIO really makes space for the whole family. It’s not just about the child with the diagnosis but about helping everyone cope and heal together.
What types of programs does your family take part in?
We do everything! We attend weekly classes, special events, and the Parent Support program. We’ve also volunteered at events and joined cooking classes. MATIO offers so many ways to be involved! Every part of the program brings something positive into our lives.
How has MATIO helped Brian?
When Brian goes in for scans or blood draws, he uses his Power Breathing and does his own little Body Scan to calm himself down. Those techniques have given him so much confidence and control over his emotions. He even uses them when he’s studying and starts to get frustrated. The best part? He reminds me to do my Power Breathing too! It’s amazing to see how much self-awareness and strength he’s developed through the MATIO Method.
How has the program supported you and your family as a whole?
The other parents and Ms. Niga (our MATIO Program Specialist and Social Worker) have been my rock. We share advice, encouragement, and resources. We talk about what’s hard, but we also lift each other up. It’s not just a program; it’s a family. You can feel when someone’s having a tough day because we all notice and reach out. MATIO gives us a space where we don’t have to explain ourselves; we’re just understood. Everything we need for strength and support is right there.
Would you recommend MATIO to other families?
Yes, absolutely! It takes a village, and We (the program and staff and MATIO community) are the village. When Brian’s doctor retired, he referred our family to MATIO. This transition came at the perfect time for our family to form a new community in this program. Illness doesn’t just change one life — it changes a family. MATIO extended ours just when we needed it.