**UPDATE: Denied Chemo, need help for paying for a new treatment

We have an update on Joey's fight that we wanted to share directly.

With ifosfamide chemotherapy in nationwide shortage, Mass General is limiting access to a small number of patients. Because of the type of cancer Joey has and his current condition, he does not qualify and won't be able to continue his current treatment.

Faced with that reality, Joey has decided to pursue an additional treatment path that he and his family believe gives him his best chance: an integrative cancer care program at a specialized facility in Mesa, AZ

This program is not currently covered by insurance and it isn't available anywhere in New England. The facility can only continue treating Joey for as long as the program is paid for so funding directly affects how long he's able to stay in care. Joey is also applying for outside grants to help offset the cost but there's no guarantee of if or when that support will come through and treatment can't wait. Every dollar donated goes directly toward Joey's treatment. The goal is to leave for Arizona on August 9th.

The full program runs for 10 weeks and includes daily IV therapies, lab monitoring, imaging and a range of integrative treatments. All tailored to Joey's specific case.

Here's what your donation can help provide:

$250 — helps cover a portion of Joey's daily IV treatment

$950 — covers one week of the required blood monitoring during treatment

$2,500 — covers the baseline PET scan needed to track his progress

$2,850 — covers the port placement Joey needs for daily IV access

$11,750 — covers one full week of Joey's treatment program

Thank you for standing behind Joey as he pursues every option he has left!!

I'm reaching out on behalf of my cousin Joey Walker and his family to rally support in his fight against cancer.

Joey was diagnosed with synovial sarcoma at just 19 years old. Synovial sarcoma is a rare and aggressive cancer that most often affects teens and young adults, and it requires intensive, ongoing treatment. Joey underwent chemotherapy, radiation, and a major surgery with incredible strength, and we all hoped those treatments would give him the chance to move forward with his life.

Unfortunately, that wasn't the end of his fight. The cancer has spread to his lungs and returned to his leg, and Joey is now facing five more rounds of chemotherapy at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH). Between the cost of ongoing care and the toll this disease has already taken, his family's financial reserves have been drained.

This fund will go toward covering experimental treatments that are not covered by insurance, along with the medical costs that come with fighting a disease like this. Your support will help Joey access the treatment options that give him the best chance at beating this again.

On behalf of Joey and his family, thank you for your support, prayers, and positivity during this incredibly difficult time. Every donation, no matter the size, and every share of his story brings him one step closer to the care he needs.