On December 9th, 2005, seven weeks after his second birthday, Joe was diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia and has been undergoing treatment since that time. While his first couple months of treatment were difficult due to a virus and staph infection, Joe was actually in remission after eight days of treatment! In mid-June, Joe started the "maintenance" phase of his treatment which will continue into early 2009.

Aside from the rough start, you would have a hard time believing Joe is being treated for such a serious disease. He is a rough and tumble kid who just wants to play with his construction trucks, friends, and swim. Aside from Mom and Dad, Joe's brothers Andrew and Nate, as well as a sister Emma, have been instrumental in helping him get through these tough months. A day does not go by without them making him laugh or him making them laugh. Thankfully, his infectious personality is still intact—he is a nut! Joe’s mom shares, “Joe is our hero and anything we can do to help support Rally is a priority for our family.”