Joseph’s Story

05.08.06 - 12.12.20

Joseph was our first born, a beautiful boy with huge eyes and dark hair who melted everyone’s hearts. 13 months later he became big brother and best friend to his sister Evie-Mae.

Joseph was a happy, bright and cheeky boy who enjoyed spending time with his best friends, gaming, playing football and rugby. He had a great appetite and would love trying anything and everything. He liked to bake and had just started to cook, his hero being Gordon Ramsey.

In March 2019 just a year into high school he started to complain of leg pain. The GP put it down to growing pains and then an Achilles tendon injury. Three weeks later he could barely walk he was in so much pain.  He was sent for an X-ray, from that day on our lives changed forever.

In the weeks that followed Joseph would undergo more tests including an MRI and a biopsy to confirm a diagnosis of osteosarcoma a rare and aggressive bone cancer and metastatic lung nodules at just 12 years old. In the following 11 months he underwent aggressive chemotherapy at BCH, a below the knee amputation, 2 thoracotomy surgeries to remover his lung nodules and physiotherapy in readiness for his prosthetic leg.

Just as his treatment was coming to an end the country went into lockdown. We spent the next 6 months blissfully enjoying our time back as a family making plans for the future and welcomed a much longed for puppy. We started making arrangements for Joseph to return to school following 18 months away. He spent just 2 wonderful days back there with his friends when he started to experience severe headaches and sickness.

An MRI confirmed that his cancer had spread to his brain and there were no further treatment options available. We spent the next 9 weeks at home where Joseph passed away on Saturday 12th December.

As a family we decided that to keep Joseph’s memory alive we would fundraise for Young Lives vs Cancer as they helped us through our journey and continue to support us today, so that they can continue with their invaluable work and help families like us going though the worst time of there lives. Our lives will never be the same and we miss our gorgeous boy Joe, Forever14 everyday and carry him in our hearts until we meet again.