Hi friends, I haven’t been public about this yet, but I want to share what’s going on in my life.
Last month, my mom was diagnosed with myelofibrosis, a rare blood cancer that affects the bone marrow’s ability to produce red blood cells. This causes her hemoglobin levels to drop quickly, leading to severe fatigue and shortness of breath. A normal level is around 11–12, but she often hovers between 6–8, requiring blood transfusions every couple of weeks.
She’s doing well, all things considered, and adjusting to life with this illness. Thankfully, there’s a doctor in town at a cancer research hospital who specializes in this disease. The plan is for her to begin medication to manage symptoms, followed by a stem cell transplant in the coming months. This will involve radiation to kill off existing cancer cells, then transplanting donor stem cells into her bloodstream.
The procedure itself isn’t very intrusive, but recovery can take a year or more. She’ll essentially have a brand new immune system that's equivalent to that of a newborn baby and it will need time to strengthen. This is currently the only known cure for myelofibrosis. Without the transplant, she would face a high risk of developing acute leukemia, which could significantly shorten her life expectancy.
Tomorrow, I’ll be participating in a charity event for Players vs. Cancer, a program raising funds and awareness in collaboration with the gaming community to benefit the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR). Any donation helps advance research for cancers like myelofibrosis. After the charity stream, I’ll also have a donation page open at any time for ongoing support.
Much love,
Josh
I am supporting the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) by raising funds to make cancer research more inclusive for women and minorities. This includes aiding programs like BIG Cat (Beginning Investigator Grant for Catalytic Research). Together, we can help drive impactful change in cancer research.
The Karate Kid Speedrun
The Legend of Zelda: Dungeons of Infinity
Super Mario Bros. The Quest for the Candies Rom Hack
Every $100 = Game Giveaway!
INCENTIVES
$5 Write a Bsky post
$10 Halloween Sticker Face
$25 Josh will draw a Mega Man robot in MS Paint
$50 Mailed Thank You Card
GOALS
$100 Josh will play the worst NES games on (a future) stream
$200 Xmas cookie stream
$300 Echoes of Wisdom in Zelda cosplay
Hi Friends, here is a little info about tomorrow's charity stream which starts at 9am ET, also a little life update on why this charity hits close to home for me.
If you wish to donate, you can do so here: tilt.fyi/fmMunk7njA 💙
#PlayersvsCancer