Help Josh Walker Beat Leukemia

To anyone viewing this and considering donating, thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your support and generosity. On June 11th, Josh walked into the emergency room; a week later June 18th, he was officially diagnosed with a high-risk version of Acute Myeloid Leukemia with Myelodysplasia-related changes (AML-MRC). He is currently at the University of California, Davis Hospital (U.C. Davis) in Sacramento, receiving his initial treatment (additional details on treatment plan and timeline below).

For anyone who knows Josh, mentioning his name immediately brings a smile to your face. Josh is a perpetual optimist and one of the most happy-go-lucky people you will ever meet. He enjoys the simple things in life – traveling, the outdoors, live music, and most of all, good company. And Josh has made A LOT of good company over the years. His big belly laugh catches your attention, his good vibes pull you in, and his warm bear hugs keep you coming back for more. Josh is the type of person that purposely books long layovers between flights so he can squeeze in a visit with friends or family every chance he gets. He is still the only person I know who makes lifelong friends at airport bars . He is the type of person who will drop everything at a moment’s notice to be there for you when you need a friend. But Josh is the one that needs support from all of us now.

Although this has been quite a shock, Josh has continued to be in good spirits and is ready to beat this. This GoFundMe page was created by those who love him to help support his medical expenses and any additional costs that inevitably arise from a prolonged hospital stay. Any amount, large or small, is greatly appreciated and will go a long way in relieving additional stress while he fights this.

#JOSHSTRONG

Lastly, if you are willing and able, please "Be The Match" and put yourself on the bone marrow registry. All it takes is a cheek swab!

bethematch.org

Additional Details on Treatment Plan:

Josh’s bone marrow biopsy genetic tests identified that he has a high-risk version of Acute Myeloid Leukemia with Myelodysplasia-related changes (AML-MRC). The current plan is for Josh to begin induction chemotherapy this week (hopefully June 22nd) in an attempt to put the leukemia into remission. This will last ten days and is part of a clinical trial designed to treat this particular type of Leukemia.

Once in remission, his team of doctors will monitor his blood for about three weeks to see how well his body is recovering. They'll then conduct another bone marrow biopsy to see how well his bone marrow is recovering and determine how many residual Leukemia cells remain.

If all continues to be well, the goal would be to have Josh transferred home to the Cleveland Clinic for the rest of the consolidation chemotherapy and eventually the bone marrow transplant. This will be over a period of many months. Please remember that treatment plans are always tennative; things can change anytime.

While this is a very long road ahead, Josh and his family are taking it one step at a time.

We can't tell you how much we appreciate everyone's desire to help and all your thoughts, prayers, and words of encouragement.