My name is Jackie Bergner and I have created this post for my cousin Josh Scharp and his family, with their permission. Josh is 42 years old with a wife and 3 children.

Josh has been battling cholangiocarcinoma (a rare cancer of the bile ducts) for a little over 3 years now. Josh and his family have been very private about this battle and only now have agreed to let me create this page as they struggle to get approval for a promising medication to help stop and shrink his cancer. Up until very recently, he had continued to work even through his chemotherapy and recurrent hospitalizations.

Josh's cancer is rare for a younger adult and even more rare as he has a genetic mutation (NRG-1 mutation). This specific type of mutation does not allow his cancer to respond to chemotherapy, which was not identified until now.

After a recent consult at UW Madison, where the mutation was pointed out, he was determined to be a very good candidate for a drug called Zenocutuzumab that has shown very promising results for patients with lung and pancreatic cancers with this specific mutation. Only now, at the turn of the new year, 2026, has this medication been approved by the FDA and granted with a "Breakthrough Therapy" for Josh's specific type of cancer.

Update 1/27/2026

Josh received his first infusion today at UW Madison 

Overall this went well for him☺️

We are pleased to update everyone that after a nonstop week of intense/aggressive work with Dr. Warris Bokhari, Mark Cuban, Katlynn and myself that United healthcare has decided to reverse their denial and cover all future infusions !

All donations received on this website will go toward the families mounting medical bills, living and travel expenses and to help supplement the family income while Josh remains out of work while he continues to go through his treatments and heal. We are so incredibly grateful for all of the love and support that has been shown over this last week. We will continue to work to bring awareness to this rare type of cancer so others can hopefully receive treatment earlier and overcome barriers with insurance approval for life saving medications and/or treatments.

All moneys donated on this website will be transferred to the Scharp family via this Go fund me account to cover the above stated expenses.

 

 FDA approval for Zenocutuzumab for NRG-1 positive cholangiocarcinoma:

Genomic Testing's Role in Treating Rare Cancers

FDA Grants Breakthrough Therapy

If you have any further questions about the medication, please do not hesitate to reach out to me.