About Joseph

This blog was set up originally to keep friends and family "in the know" when our son Joseph was diagnosed with cancer a few years ago. (In November 2007 our 3 year old son was diagnosed with a brain tumor, a grade IV astrocytoma known as glioblastoma multiforme.) The blog turned into a wonderful community of people who grew to love Joseph and our family and encouraged us in more ways than they can possibly know.

Joseph had his first brain surgery at Egleston Children's Hospital in Atlanta, his second surgery about a month later, then the third one in July of 2008. He also underwent 6 weeks of radiation at St. Jude's in Memphis and participated in a clinical trial there with a new drug called Tarceva (Erlotinib). The radiation did a great job of shrinking the tumor, but unfortunately it grew back very quickly and no chemotherapy drugs were working. Joseph died the day after his 4th birthday on August 21, 2008.

Joseph was an energetic, fun, car and train-loving, hilarious, smart little boy who loved people. Joseph was loved dearly by us, his parents, and by his little sister, Holly, who misses him tremendously. We now have another beautiful daughter, June, who was born in September of 2009. We are so thankful for the time we had with our little "Joe P." and for the prayers and support of the body of Christ.

We now live in Atlanta, where Joseph's daddy is finishing up his pediatric residency at Emory.