Joshua's Story

Joshua
Age 10
Leukemia

Phoenix Children’s Hospital

Josh has a perspective that many adults will never obtain, let alone young boys. This became apparent when, at age 7, he turned to his mom and said, “Mom, I think I know why God gave me this disease. I think one day there’s going to be a little boy … who has no hair and cancer. I’m going to tell him, ‘it’s going to hurt a whole bunch, but it’s going to be okay.’”

Josh was diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia right before his seventh birthday. His painful treatment included 40 months of chemotherapy at Phoenix Children’s Hospital. He faced numerous complications, including a fungal infection in his lungs. He was even placed in a drug-induced coma, relying on machines to breathe for him.

But Josh fought through the whole ordeal with the help of his family, including younger brother, Elijah and his golden doodle Otis. Now age 10, he uses his story to inspire others. “Joshua and Friends,” a fundraising team headed by Joshua and his family, raised nearly $100,000 in just two years for leukemia research.