Support Josh’s Battle to Regain His Health

In early December 2022, Josh was told he likely had ALS the same week Josh and I found out we were expecting Baby #3 (Ezra). After months of testing and far and near doctor appointments, Northwestern, Rush and Mayo Clinic all diagnosed Josh with ALS giving him 3-5 years to live. All of these doctors gave the same treatment plan, get on the FDA approved drugs which could possibly delay death a few months, apply for clinical trials and come back every 4 months to track your debilitating health. We were told ALS progresses fast and each individual is different, but to do your “bucket list” while you can because there was no hope. We were clearly devastated.

At this point, Josh took it upon himself to research and advocate for himself. He was only 33 years old, had a wife and almost 3 kids to support and care for. The same month that Ezra was born, Josh found out he had Lyme disease and co-infections that could cause his neurological issues. Since September 2023, Josh has been treated for Lyme disease and co-infections. We have been traveling all over Illinois and Wisconsin to doctor’s offices and utilizing treatments that are primarily not covered by insurance. Extensive testing also pointed to mold toxicity so he had to be treated for that and we had to have a mold specialist come out to mitigate our home.

Since 2023 we have spent at least $35,000 on out-of-the-box treatments to try to halt or at least slow down Josh’s debilitating symptoms. Meanwhile, Josh has been in and out of work since he works in construction and cannot physically do his job. Unfortunately, Josh is still progressing. He has nonstop twitching in his arms, chest and back which have caused complete muscle loss and deterioration. He has lost the majority of function in his hands and arms. Daily tasks that we take for granted, he cannot do at this point without assistance.

Josh is starting a new innovative treatment plan with stem cell therapy over the next three years to regenerate cells and hopefully give him back function in his arms and hands and restore his overall health. This treatment is very expensive and not covered under insurance. Unfortunately, we can’t depend on Josh’s ability to work from week to week. With Josh’s medical concerns, doctors visits, treatment schedules and our 3 young children to care for, I am unable to hold a full time job.

We are so grateful for all the support from our family and friends that we have received up until this point. However, we are in dire need of financial help to cover all these medical expenses to help save Josh’s life. If you can find it in your heart, we would appreciate any kind of monetary assistance to lessen the financial hardship from these medical expenses.

If you’re more comfortable with Zelle you can send via @[email redacted] or Venmo to @Kelly-Shaw-36

Thank you in advance! ❤️