Friday, August 9th, 2024, Joe and Anna's life story together took on a new, unexpected plot line. Joe made an appointment to visit his doctor at the VA Clinic for intermittent shortness of breath for a few weeks that wasn't going away. An X-ray, a CT scan, a trip to the VA ER, and they discovered a mass in Joe's chest cavity, hugging his heart, making it work extra hard and taking some room up from his lungs. After a week of hospital stays and tests, Joe was diagnosed with T-cell Leukemia on August 16th, requiring immediate and aggressive treatment, which will begin next week.

Joe, an Eagle Scout and Army Infantry veteran honorably discharged in 2014, has always been a fighter. Raised in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, with his six brothers, Joe served in Germany before pursuing his career and passion at the prestigious Pennsylvania Gunsmith School. He and his wife, Anna, settled in Indianola, Iowa, building a life filled with family, travel, and their beloved dog, Tyson.

Now, Joe and Anna face a challenging journey of hospital visits, specialist consultations, and complex coordination with VA/Care in the Community. This fight demands not only their strength but also financial resources. While the support systems are vast, both will need to take copious amounts of time away from their careers, which they are so passionate about.

Anna and Joe have been so grateful for the love, support and help they have received so far. Many people have asked how they can help, and financial support will be the most helpful. This will not only help Anna support Joe by driving back and forth during the many inpatient stays in the future, but also support their outpatient times back at home, where the sole focus will be Joe's health.

Your support will allow Joe and Anna to focus on what's truly important - his treatment and well-being - instead of worrying about anything else in the future. Please share if you feel inclined to do so. Together, we can support Joe and Anna through this challenging time.