About Matt Perko

I’ve been a musician all my life. Throughout high school I never thought about anything but playing and practicing on my drums.  At twenty years old, amidst a heavy schedule of gigs, working a part time day job, and practicing every other waking moment, I fell ill with what I thought was the flu.  After two weeks with no improvement, I went to see a doctor - only to find out that I had an enlarged heart.  I had no idea what that meant, but after I was told it was a potentially fatal condition, I knew my life was about to change.

For the next grueling year and a half, I battled congestive heart failure.  During that time, I couldn’t play drums in my poor physical condition. It was a huge blow, but I knew I had to keep my spirits up to survive my ordeal. I turned to alternative ways to express myself. I practiced drums in my mind, imagining the drum set and the motions involved. I taught myself piano and wrote down musical ideas. I became interested in graphic design, turning to the Internet and books to learn through trial and error.

After an experimental open heart surgery, and several trips to the emergency room culminating in cardiac arrest, I was taken to the Cleveland Clinic and put on the list for a heart transplant. Amazingly, I only waited three weeks and a day.

On December 9, 1997, I received a new heart. Years of recovery and adjustment followed. Unless I show you my scars and the handfuls of anti-rejection pills I take every morning and evening, you would never know I had a transplant. Since then, I have been able to return to playing music, while working full time as a graphic designer and operating my own freelance photography business.  I’ve been able to combine my years of experience as a professional musician and my passion for photography by helping fellow artists and musicians market themselves . I am happily married and in excellent health, living and working in Cleveland Heights, Ohio.

I look forward to learning how YOU have lived since the transplant. If you have any questions, please contact me at matt@mattperko.com. I can’t wait to hear from you.

About Marge Perko

Born and raised in Manila, Marge Perko is the eldest of three children. She graduated from the International School of Manila, and went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. She began her career in broadcasting as an assistant producer at KITV-4 news, before moving on to the weekend assignments desk at KGMB-9. She returned to Manila to join Nation Broadcasting’s FM radio team 923 Joey as an on-air news talent, events emcee, and host of Manila’s first club culture radio show Beats Per Minute With DJ Cao Ocampo. She also covered fashion and the arts as a staff writer for BusinessDay Magazine and Tienda.

Marge is now working on her first fiction novel while contributing to local and regional publications. She lives with her husband Matt and their enormous Maine Coon cat Maximus in Cleveland Heights, Ohio.

If you have questions or concerns or would like more information, please feel free to contact Matt Perko. info@anti-rejection.com or call 216.321.5302