Supporting Josh and his family on this journey

Putting this into writing is difficult. The reality of the situation becomes all too real when it’s written out in front of you. On Tuesday, February 7th Josh was in a pretty serious car accident. Fortunately, no one was seriously injured in the accident, but scans showed that the small brain lesions that Josh had been monitoring over the past year, have quickly grown into a very large tumor. On Thursday he was diagnosed with stage four glioblastoma and given 3 to 6 months to live. The initial diagnosis is that this tumor is inoperable due to its location and how large it has become. He has decided to undergo aggressive radiation treatment in an attempt to shrink the tumor or at the very least, slow the progression. He was discharged from the hospital to home this past week to start his daily PT/OT and radiation treatments.

Most recently, his oncology team has suggested a second opinion from another brain surgeon to see if there is a possibility of a partial resection before beginning radiation. Josh is also expressing interest in clinical trials or other treatments outside of radiation such as a radio frequency device and genetic testing to narrow treatment options as much as possible.

This diagnosis is understandably a shock as most terminal cancer diagnoses are. Josh is a relatively healthy 46-year-old with the kindest heart, who is always ready to step in and support or help anyone in need. He lives with his wife and their two children in Tennessee, surrounded by friends from his community and work that are more like family. Josh is the eldest of seven children, my big brother, and means the world to all of us. I could go on and on about my childhood memories of this amazing human but this page would never end.

Due to the nature of this illness, Josh will no longer be able to work, and his wife will also be limited in her ability to do the same. In true selfless fashion, his biggest worry about the whole situation isn’t his passing, it is about his family being taken care of. There are daily appointments, 5 days a week and constant support is needed at home.

I know many people are asking how they can help/support him and his family through all of this and besides your kind words, any donations you may be able to make to help offset this financial burden will be the most beneficial.

Let’s rally together around Josh and his family and let them know that they will not face one step of this alone. As so many things these days do, this is a reminder to all of us that life can change in an instant so be kind, speak your heart, and hold those you love close to you. Spend time together, laugh, be present, take risks and live!