Joseph Critical Medical Emergency

Joseph Frepan (Joe), is a 28-year-old recently diagnosed with several rare and life-threatening illnesses. He is fighting for his life in IU Central Hospital in Indianapolis. Joe is a South Bend native with two beautiful children, Alice (6) & Jayce (4). He served his country for 8 years as a US Naval Corpsman and was honorably discharged in April 2022. His mother and stepfather, Ann Marie & John Ranchschaert, his father and stepmother, Roger and April Frepan, and his partner Alicia Swartz are all at his side fighting for him.

On Tuesday, February 20, 2024, Joe suffered a stroke that made it difficult for him to speak. Joe informed his employer after receiving medical treatment, and he was deemed a liability and immediately let go. A few days after discharge, Joe stated he was in a lot of pain and believed it was complications from the medications he was prescribed.

On Thursday, February 29, 2024, Joe was rushed to Memorial Hospital in South Bend for difficulty breathing. There he was diagnosed with Leukemia and doctors were unable to control his pain. He was then airlifted to IU Central Hospital in Indianapolis for further testing and treatment.

On March 1, 2024, Joseph was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) and transferred to the ICU. This type of Leukemia is very aggressive and multiplies rapidly. That night he continued to deteriorate and was placed on a ventilator to help him breathe. He was also diagnosed with Catastrophic Antiphospholipid Syndrome (CAPS). CAPS is an extremely rare autoimmune disorder that increases the risk of blood clots. Joseph currently has blood clots in his brain, spleen, kidneys, legs, and arms.

On March 3, 2024, Joseph was diagnosed with Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS). This is a life-threatening lung injury that allows fluid to leak into the lungs.

As of Monday, March 4, 2024, Joseph is still intubated and in critical condition. He is being treated with aggressive chemotherapy for AML and heparin to treat CAPS. The next few days are critical and medical staff are working around the clock to help him.

We are asking family, friends, and our community to please help us during this difficult time. The money raised will be used to pay for medical bills, travel expenses, and lodging for the family to stay with him at IU Central. We ask that you please keep Joseph, his children, his parents, and his partner in your thoughts and prayers. We can't thank everyone enough for every donation, thought, and prayer for Joseph and his family during this time.