Any relationship lasting longer than a half-century is a profound accomplishment. Susan and David Mateja are a lucky pair who have recently celebrated their 51st year of marriage. Together, they’ve nurtured a bond capable of withstanding life’s exhilarating ups, such as their experience competing in doubles tennis at the 2023 National Senior Games, and its challenging, frightening downs, including David’s 11-year-long battle with cancer.
Both in their 70s, the Matejas have a fiery perseverance that makes you never want to doubt them. When they speak, the couple play off each other, giving knowing smiles as one begins telling a story that the other has surely heard before. They exude a vibrant love of sport and life that’s detectable even through the humility with which they speak about their accomplishments.
The perfect tennis “match”
The couple met just after David had finished college. “We met on a tennis court,” David says. A smirk crosses Susan’s face, previewing where the story is headed. “She was playing on court one with her father. I was playing on court two with a buddy, and somehow I ended up with her phone number when we left.”
Their shared love of sport and competition helped them build a healthy relationship. “We’re so supportive of each other,” Susan says with a smile. “He is my biggest fan, and I am his. No matter what we’re doing, he believes I’ll accomplish it and I believe he will, too.”
First love
Susan and David each inherited their love of tennis from their respective parents. “My dad would take me onto our dead-end street and draw a tennis court with chalk. That’s how I started playing,” Susan remembers.
Those first courts instilled a love of the game within her, as well as a love of sharing it with the people she cared most about. “The early memories of hitting the ball with our parents bring back a lot of joy,” she notes. “Not having much money, just enough to afford a can of tennis balls. Free courts. No matter how cold it was, just getting out there. Those are good memories.”
After Susan and David got married, tennis remained an important part of their lives. When they got older and were looking for ways to stay active, they heard about the National Senior Games. Susan first learned of the Senior Games through her work at Humana, a Medicare Advantage carrier and sponsor of the events. Along with trusting each other, Susan and David both emphasize the trust they place in Humana for their health insurance needs. Knowing that they have coverage in case one of them gets hurt or sick helps give them the freedom to pursue their dreams—a sense of security that became vitally important when David was diagnosed with cancer.
The relationship that the Matejas have with their health insurance company, Humana, allows them to live life to the fullest together. Go to Humana.com/Medicare101 to see Medicare plan options that fit your active lifestyle.
Unexpected challenges
The first time Susan and David planned to compete in the games, health problems forced David to sit out the tournament. Susan forged ahead and finished third in women’s singles, but their goal remained to compete together. The next year, the Senior Games were canceled due to the pandemic.
So they set their eyes on the 2022 National Senior Games. Yet three days before leaving for the Senior Games, a tumor was discovered on David’s kidney.
At that point, it would have been easy to say that their dream of competing together just wasn’t meant to be. That’s not how the Matejas are wired, though.
Hand in hand, they persevered through David’s cancer treatment—all the while making plans to compete at the 2023 National Senior Games in Pittsburgh. The speed bumps kept coming; David was then diagnosed with lung cancer. “I didn’t think there was any way I was going to be able to get to Pittsburgh,” David said. But the couple didn’t give up. With the help of their doctors, the Matejas made it after all, making good on intentions set years prior with no knowledge of the obstacles they would face.
Game Changers, together
In recognition of their perseverance, the Matejas were named Humana Game Changers— a national recognition of athletes who exemplify healthy aging and provide encouragement, motivation, and inspiration for all seniors to live healthy lifestyles. “Being named Game Changers was very special for us,” David says. “Being recognized as somewhat of a role model, for lack of a better word, for people our age to perhaps lead a healthier life, that was a big deal.”
Now more than ever, David says, he feels the benefits of staying active. “I like playing socially, but just being able to stay healthy at the age of 75 is the most important thing for me. There are a lot of people my age who lose that part of their day-to-day life. I don’t want that to happen to me. I want to stay healthy.”
Susan, with a characteristically upbeat demeanor, agrees. “The fact that we’re healthy means that we can give back to the world in a bigger way. We feel the generosity that Humana has given to the Game Changers and through hosting the National Senior Games, and so we want to be generous, too. Generosity leads to longevity.”
The Medicare Annual Election Period is happening now through Dec. 7 for coverage beginning Jan. 1, 2024. In addition to hospital stays, emergency care, and doctor office visits, Medicare Advantage plans could also include other benefits, such as dental, vision, hearing and prescription drug coverage, in addition to a yearly cap on out-of-pocket expenses.
Disclaimer
Humana is a Medicare Advantage HMO and PPO organization with a Medicare contract. Enrollment in any Humana plan depends on contract renewal.
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