Matthew Weyenberg

Matthew C. Weyenberg, 27, of Chicago, IL, passed away September 9, 2022 in the arms of his family and fiancee after a battle with appendix cancer.

Matt grew up in Solon, OH, and was a 2013 graduate of Solon High School, a 2017 graduate of the University of Notre Dame, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Science Pre-Professional Studies with a minor in International Development Studies, and was a member of the Class of 2023 at the Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine.

Matt was a passionate advocate for justice. While at Notre Dame, he co-founded Notre Dame's chapter of the Global Public Health Brigades and led two brigades to Nicaragua. He spent a summer in Jinja, Uganda, teaching math and shadowing in a medical clinic as part of Notre Dame's International Summer Service Learning Program and then returned to Uganda the following summer on a research grant to study structural barriers to care for sickle cell disease in Kampala. He spent a semester abroad in Puebla, Mexico, where, in addition to solidifying many of his closest friendships with his Notre Dame classmates, he lived with a Mexican host family, studied at a local university, interned at two public hospitals, and engaged in immersive experiences to learn more about community health work and traditional medicine. Before starting medical school, he spent 5 months in Liberia with Partners In Health as a Community Health Program Intern, working in collaboration with local organizations to strengthen the post-Ebola disease surveillance system in Maryland County, Liberia.

Always humble, observant, and eager to learn, his experiences abroad and the many friends and mentors he met along the way led him to reflect deeply on the relationship between colonialism and global health, as well as his responsibilities to vulnerable communities closer to home. At the end of his medical school application essay, he wrote, "...my role as a physician who serves vulnerable patients should not stop in the hospital or clinic-it must extend into the community and society. I will be an advocate that leads the charge to break down the root inequalities and injustices that perpetuate disparities in health." He lived into these ideals throughout his time in medical school. As treasurer for Stritch's chapter of CommunityHealth Clinic, he led fundraising efforts for and volunteered with one of Loyola's free primary care clinics, providing access to medical care for uninsured and underinsured patients in Chicago. As Vice President of Stritch Pride, he helped to create a safe and inclusive community for queer students and allies, raised awareness on issues relevant to the queer community, and helped to organize and moderate workshops and discussions on LGBTQ+ related health issues. Working with Physicians for Human Rights, he collaborated with physicians, lawyers, and fellow medical students to review medical records and submit a Medical Declaration to request the release of an incarcerated patient whose medical needs were being inadequately managed. He worked closely with the Center for Community and Global Health (CCGH) throughout his time at Stritch, participating in the Global Health Honors Program, facilitating small group discussions as part of the Global Health Equity Dinner curriculum, and developed a three-part curriculum on neocolonialism in global health for fellow CCGH students.

Matt was gentle, kind, and a natural caregiver to all living things. He had a great love of animals (especially otters) and hoped to complete a medical rotation at the zoo before finishing medical school. In Chicago, the neighbor's cat loved Matt so much that conversations with Matt in the kitchen of his apartment were likely to be interrupted by his excited exclamation of, "Kitty in the window!" before he rushed to the front porch to pet her. As a third year medical student at Loyola Stritch School of Medicine, he passed his boards exam and completed several clinical rotations while simultaneously undergoing cancer treatments. He excelled in his clinical rotations, where his thoughtful, attentive, kind, and compassionate approach to medicine made him beloved by his patients. He commiserated with patients about colonoscopy prep, brought insight to his teams about innovative ways to treat chemo side effects, and was diligent and thorough in seeking answers for patients with complex problems. He truly loved medicine; while many in his position would have spent their remaining time traveling the world or pursuing other passions, Matt found so much joy in continuing to learn how to care for patients.

Matt had so many gifts. He was a talented singer and shared his love of music with his community as part of the show choir Music In Motion at Solon High School, the Notre Dame Folk Choir in college, and in many excellent road trip jam sessions. He was a gifted athlete; his hard work, competitive spirit, love of the game, and friendliness will be greatly missed at the weekly Stritch soccer pick-up games and on the soccer teams he was part of. As a friend he was generous with his time, always willing to drop what he was doing to help, and he had a gift for making the people around him feel loved and important. He loved parasites (his favorites were Schistosoma and Dracunculus), mountain adventures, Harry Potter, and slow mornings on the couch with a good cup of coffee and a puppy to snuggle. He had a wonderful and ridiculous sense of humor. He was truly remarkable.

Matt is survived by his fiancee Lauren Ross and their sweet border collie, Sage, brothers Andy and Jamey, parents Laura and Tom Weyenberg, grandparents Sondra Ronding Brahler and Richard Brahler, and grandfather Richard Ronding.

Matt lived his short life to the fullest. We mourn not only the incredible person Matt was, but the person he would have become and all the ways that he would have continued to change the world for the better. In lieu of flowers, we ask that you honor Matt's memory by continuing his pursuit of a more just, kind, loving, and generous world. Blood donations through the Red Cross can be made in Matt's honor by joining the group "In Honor of Matt Weyenberg" on their Blood Donor app. Before his death, Matt and Lauren spoke about asking people to donate to West Side Mutual Aid, a food rescue and redistribution group they volunteer with in Chicago. They also talked about asking people to find a local organization in their own community that is special to them and to spend a day volunteering or send a donation.

All are invited to a celebration of Matt's life, which will take place on Saturday, October 1st from 6:30-8:30 pm at Pilot Project Brewing (2140 Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60647). There will be a short ceremony starting at 7 pm. Attire is casual (no black), but open-toed shoes with sparkly toenail polish in honor of Matt are highly encouraged.