Josh’s young life hangs in the balance

What began as an ear infection has turned into a nightmare for my sister-in-law Jane, watching her beautiful 20 year old son Josh fight for his life in ICU against an antibiotic-resistant bacteria that has now all but destroyed his lungs.

It’s hard to believe just over a year ago he was a fit and healthy young man, working out at the gym and looking forward to competing in powerlifting and go into personal training.

Josh got an ear infection in May 2024 that evaded antibiotic treatment, attacking his sinuses and eventually putting him in hospital for five days. He was later diagnosed with vasculitis, which they treated with immunotherapy and then chemotherapy. It put the disease into remission but left him with no immune system to fight infections, such as pneumonia and then Mycobacterium abscessus, further attacking his lungs.

Then on 25 July 2025, during his sixth surgery to try and clear the infection, Josh’s lungs filled with blood and collapsed. He has been in ICU ever since, his mother Jane at his bedside everyday, while the doctors try to keep Josh stable and fight to eliminate the infection, so that he can receive a much-needed lung transplant.

Unable to work with her son in such a precarious state, Jane (who also lost her husband, Josh’s father, 12 years ago) is struggling to cover living expenses, as well as the 80km round trip each day from Port Kennedy.

And if this infection is cleared and a lung transplant is available, a long road remains ahead for Josh and his mum. This fundraising is to help Jane put aside some obvious financial concerns, so that she can focus on what’s most important - the health of her son.

While his chances seem slim, young Josh is a fighter, and so far he has surprised the doctors with his determination. This bacteria might be resistant to most antibiotics, but there are still new treatments to explore, and his doctors are not giving up…

Will you support their fight?