Support Josiah's Journey to Recovery

My name is Cara Plake and my cousin Josiah has been enduring a major life change as he went from living the life of a normal 17-year-old to being legally blind and paralyzed from the waist down in 2 months. After multiple tests and biopsies, we finally have a diagnosis as of 4/30/25, which is an aggressive stage 4 brain cancer that is in the spine and lining of the spinal cord. The doctor is amazed that Josiah is still alive. They will be placing a feeding tube and starting him on TMZ, a chemotherapy medication. Read below for the full story ⬇️⬇️

Let's rewind to December 2024.

Josiah was excited to get his driver's license so he could get a job, take on some new responsibilities, and gain freedom like any other teenager. He was on winter break from school and attending family gatherings for the holidays.

On Christmas Day, he tells us that he is having double vision and headaches. He has always had headaches and thought nothing of it, but with the double vision he wondered how he would even take his driver's exam. His parents take him to the eye doctor the next week, who tells them to go to the emergency department as he had swelling on his optic nerves. He was scared to go to the hospital and wondered what they could find, but he had no idea the nightmare he was about to face.

Immediately after the appointment with the eye doctor, he walked into the hospital with his parents but ended up leaving with right leg paralysis after multiple failed attempts at lumbar punctures. He was then transferred to a children's hospital in Indianapolis for further workup since he is only 17. They found swelling and a couple lesions on his lower spine but no identifiable cause. They ruled-out cancer, infection, and autoimmune disorders. All the tests were coming back normal. The doctors and nurses were calling him, "Mystery Jo." After a week in the hospital, he was sent to a rehab facility for several weeks, and then eventually home, although he continued to have right leg paralysis and lives up a flight of stairs. His parents had to carry him in and out of the house.

He started falling at home, having painful muscle spasms that would make his leg jump, all while the head pressure and headaches continued.

But then the double vision came back...

His parents carried him down the flight of stairs to get into the car as they could not wait on a neurosurgeon appointment. They took him back to Peyton Manning Hospital as something was not right as his symptoms continued to worsen.

About a week into his hospital stay, his eyesight got to the point he was only seeing silhouettes. His paralysis continued to worsen as he was now paralyzed from the waist down and could no longer control his urination, requiring nurses to catheterize him to relieve his bladder. Multiple MRIs later, they found lesions scattered throughout his entire spine. They placed a temporary shunt in his brain to relieve some pressure and he slowly regained some eyesight back. He had 10 days of plasmapheresis with minimal progress.

After a month in the hospital, on 3/28/25, they placed a permanent shunt in his brain that drains the excess fluid into his abdominal cavity. We met with the specialists for a care plan meeting to discuss Josiah's condition and plan. The doctors recommended extensive rehab but are uncertain if or how much he will improve. They said it likely will take a long time for him to heal and only time will tell (words that no parent wants to hear).

With little to no warning, they transferred Josiah to Riley hospital on 4/1/25. Multiple tests later, we still had no clear diagnosis except that he now had a fungal infection in his spine, Histoplasma, that they treated with IV antifungal medication. They found calcium build up on lymph nodes in the lungs, but they never took a biopsy of this. Biopsy results from his brain and spinal cord gave him a devastating prognosis, as the doctor said that he likely will not survive. As long as Josiah continues to live and breathe, there is hope.

With these uncertainties and long hospital stay, his parents are requesting assistance with costs associated with staying in Indianapolis, particularly with gas, food, medical costs as they arise, etc. The medical bills are already pouring in and any help is greatly appreciated to give them one less thing to worry about during this difficult time.

They have been fortunate to be able to stay at the Ronald McDonald house to be close to their son. They no longer have to borrow a vehicle as a couple family members pitched in to get them a small truck to drive. They no longer have to worry about our grandma falling from walking their dog as a family member constructed a large dog kennel in her yard. We appreciate all the support, thoughts, prayers, and donations. Every bit, no matter how big or small, has made an impact. Thank you!