Overall Josh is feeling good. He had a big weekend and was very busy! He went with the family to a birthday BBQ on Saturday night, and had a great time. On Sunday he and Gretchen and the fam went with some friends up to Phoenix for the day. Josh got to do some shopping at the electronic stores and they all met up at a train park. I didn’t go, but it sounded like they had a lot of fun. Then we had a family cookout at my parent’s house. So, as I said, it was a big weekend!

Wednesday starts another round of chemo, and an additional drug. This is a new drug called Avastin and it was just approved by the FDA in February. Its purpose is to separate the tumors from the body. It has shown to work well in studies and Josh’s oncologist has seen great improvement in other people that he has given this to. So, please pray that this new drug works well with his current regimen and also pray that he does not suffer any of the rare side effects.

FYI: Thanks to Josh’s friend Henry, I have registered a new website. It is Basically, it is an easier way to get here (by going to the page and clicking on “Josh’s Update Page) or to get to the bracelet page (by clicking on “Cancer Awareness Bracelets”). So, if you want to pass the website along to others, you can simply refer them to www.giantallen.com

We have been getting lots of support from all of you out there and it is so greatly appreciated. We recently found out about a couple of young boys who don’t even know Josh, but are saving their money to help support him. It is such a touching story, that I wanted to share it with all of you, and say “thank you” to this wonderful family. Below is the email that we received from a family friend:

I sent an email to all my friends in my email address book about Josh and
told them to look at the bracelets Marisa is making to help Josh. I asked
them even if they couldn't buy a bracelet to please pass the email on, maybe
someone else would be able to buy one. My sister Sandy got my email and
sent an email to her friends in her address book.
Hopefully this will keep going and eventually help Josh. Sandy told her
grandsons Trever 9 and Logan 7 about Josh. I thought it was so sweet when
she told me what Trever and Logan were doing. They had been doing chores to
buy Pokemon cards. When they heard about Josh they decided they also wanted
to earn money to help Josh. They said they wanted earn money to buy their
mom a bracelet for Mother's Day. Not only would their mother get a
beautiful bracelet, but they would help Josh too! They went into great
detail telling how 90% would go to pay Josh's medical bills and 10% would go
to Cancer research. They are now going to their grandparents and neighbors
doing chores to earn money to buy the bracelet. They made a special piggy
bank and wrote on it "Hope for Josh". They earned $10. last weekend and $5.
went into Josh's bank and $5. went to buy Pokemon cards. This is
inspiration to us all, even small children are fighting to help Josh!

I thought you would feel inspired to fight this cancer even harder knowing
so many people are praying for you and rooting for you!

GO JOSH! FIGHT!!! (that was a cheer) :)