Hi, my name is Paula Kassel and I am writing on behalf of my nephew Joshua.  
     Joshua has had a bad heart  from the moment he was born.  At age 18 he had his first heart transplant.  In his early 20's his heart started to reject and after about a year he got his 2nd transplant.  Joshua's health has been up and down, mostly down, causing him to not be able to work consistantly.  He has two gorgeous boys.  That's why I am doing this now.  His heart is letting him down again.  REJECTION!! I wish with all my heart I could fix this for Joshua, he has fought and been in pain (physically and emotionally) everyday of his life, yet he still has a beautiful smile and a hug for me everytime he see's me.
     His mom has asked me, should we do this? should we ask others for help? does Josh qualify?   The news from the doctors at his last appointment wasn't good but he is still fighting.  The treatments that he is taking  give him bad headaches and cause his joints to ache.  Instead of asking for help (because in his mind, that's imposing on others) he will suffer in silence.  Please don't let this illness take anymore from him.  Lets come together and give what we can so he can supply a home, food, memories and stability for his boys.  Those little guys are his life force....the reason he fights so hard and keeps moving ahead.
    Josh has gone through propper channels and after months of trying is now getting disability.  Although he is thankful for what he is being given, it's not enough for food and housing.  
     I want to thank all of you for taking the time to read this and help if you can....God bless!!

Below these pictures my sister, Josh's mom, has given details about his illness.  More important the view from a Mothers heart.

Hi, I'm Patti, Johsua's (Bear's) mother. Joshua was born with Coxsackie Virus which caused congestive heart failure at birth that left him with Cardiomyopathy. Joshua was a very athletic boy, enjoying club soccer, baseball and club hockey. When he started going through puberty, his heart started increasing in size causing him to get dizzy and pass out during games. His cardiologist decided to let him play baseball but the other sports had to stop. His heart just kept increasing in size until all sports had to stop. I will never forget the night I had to tell him that he could no longer play sports. He looked at me with his big blue eyes and said, "mom, if I can't play sports, I would rather die. That's who I am.". But as usual, Joshua picked himself up and realized that sports weren't everything. 

When he was 17 he was having blackouts again. They inplanted a defibrillator and that kept him for about 6 months. He kept having episodes where the device would have to shock him back into a normal sinus rythm. The last time this happened, the device shocked him 9 times. Finally, his cardiologist said his heart was beat up pretty bad so he sent us to Denver Children's Hospital. (the most amazing facility, doctors and nurses in the world). They decided he needed a transplant. In September of 2000 the Lord provided him with a new heart. I will never forget the moment that they wheeled him to surgery, not knowing if I would ever see him again. But I knew that we have a big God and he was going to take care of him. Which He did. 

Joshua did well for 3 years and then started to reject again. He was in rejection for almost 1 year before the second transplant. I watched him whither away before my very eyes. He looked and acted like an 80 year old man. I remember the long nights just watching him sleep to make sure that he woke up the next morning. But once again the Lord provided another heart. He has had this heart for 10+ years. In the past 10 years Joshua has developed Graft Versus Host Disease. He had a biopsy where the doctor nicked the bile duct leaking bile into his stomach. He suffered severe pain for many many months and several surgeries. Two years ago this month, Joshua suffered a major vascular rejection, the worst kind. They gave him 6 months to live, but like I said, it has been 2 years. He is now in congestive heart failure, vascular rejection, stage 2 kidney disease and he has coronary artery disease with the Graft Versus Host Disease.  In his most recent heart cath they discovered dead tissue which is not a good sign. He is having IVIG treatments every 4 weeks so the body will attack the IVIG and not his heart. This last treatment left him with severe joint pain.  
 
Joshua was seen at the doctors yesterday, 1/20/16, and there is no change in the condition of his heart. They will continue with the IVIG treatments every 4 weeks and he will suffer the side effects with grace. The side effects are weakness and now the joint pain. This treatment is meant to keep him stable for as long as possible. He will do this while trying to care for two very active little boys and always with a smile and never a complaint. Unless, God heals him, Josh will not live to watch his boys grow up. Please help us to help him pay his medical expenses, medication copays and gas back and forth to Denver. His disablitly does not cover housing or some of the medications and treatments that he needs. The doctors, at times have to change the plan to meet Medicaid requirments. Their hands are tied. They are trying to keep him stable so that maybe by buying time, he will qualify for a new heart. This is his only hope. 

Joshua has two beautiful boys, Brayden 9 and Caleb 7. They are his lifeline. The reason that he fights so hard to live. Even when he is so weak that he can hardly get up, he always, always, is there for his boys. He pushes them to be the best they can be but to most of all love each other and their Heavenly Father.

I hope that his story will touch your heart and maybe let you see God's hand in his life. It was very hard for me to share this story with you because I have seen him go through so much in his short life. As every mother believes, he is one of the most amazing people I know and an inspiration to the entire family.  His medical bills are exorbitant. Through 2 heart transplants and surgeries, medications and treatments, our family has pulled together to help as best we can. We need your help to make his time left here on this earth as peaceful and stressfree as we can. Miracles still happen! I believe that the Lord will work a miracle through gracious people like you. Thank you ahead of time for your help and mostly your prayers. God bless and keep you in His loving arms.

Joshua Bear's Mom,
Patti W.