Within two months, the pain Joshua believed to be growing pains increased, revealing an aggressive form of bone cancer. For the tumor to be removed, Joshua’s leg did, too. Read more to find out how Joshua overcame these obstacles and got back in the game. 

Cracked

In Joshua’s favorite game, Fortnite, the term “cracked” means that a player’s shield is broken. In April 2019, Joshua’s shield was broken when he went to an orthopedist with severe leg pain. What was originally believed to be growing pains turned out to be an aggressive form of bone cancer known as malignant osteosarcoma. 

Devastated and facing 19 rounds of chemotherapy, Joshua and his parents also had to make a very difficult decision. His cancer needed to be removed quickly and completely, but to get all of the cancer, he would lose his right leg. Joshua had always been brave, but he proved to be a true hero as he faced the loss of his leg with optimism. 

Full Send

Just like in Fortnite, Joshua fought his enemy, cancer, at “full send”; he gave it 100% and charged into chemotherapy with determination. His leg was amputated above the knee in July. Joshua was determined to not let this stop him. As soon as he could, he got back to doing the things he loved: playing Fortnite, riding on four-wheelers, and swimming. 

Joshua’s parents proved to be fighters as well, bringing awareness to the need for childhood cancer research and new medications and treatments. They created a Facebook page called “Bomb Away Cancer” to help family and friends follow their journey and to encourage others struggling with similar circumstances. It documents their heroic journey at Full Send.

Victory Royale

Only eight months after first being diagnosed, Joshua rang the bell to celebrate no more chemotherapy. He took his first steps with a prosthetic leg just a few days later and was back in the game! 

Joshua was able to beat the odds, and to celebrate, his parents had a victory-over-cancer party. He was surprised with a Fortnite-themed cake — a Victory Royale. The day would forever mark the perseverance and strength of this brave 9-year-old boy. 

Joshua’s mother, Candice, describes the experience in her own words.

“It was the perfect celebration with family and friends. His baker was magnificent, and the cake was the center of the party. Joshua continues to talk about his cake and how he has triumphed over cancer.”

Help other children find joy as they, too, triumph over cancer. Donate today.

At Icing Smiles, we love to hear from our Sugar Angels about their favorite cakes. For Sugar Angel Kaitlyn of Hummingbird Confections, one cake that stuck out in her mind was a cake for Hannah, full of her favorite things to commemorate kicking cancer’s butt! To start off her masterpiece, she began with a list of things that Hannah loved. The list was diverse: from fishing to painting, music to butterflies, Hannah was a girl of many interests! It was also very important that the cake featured purple and blue, Hannah’s favorite colors.

With a design on her mind, Kaitlyn set off to make the perfect cake to celebrate Hannah’s remission. Anyone could make a cake with just one theme, but Kaitlyn’s mission was to display each and every thing that Hannah loved to do and see. Magically, she pulled together all of Hannah’s varied interests and made a mega cake, tailor made for Hannah!

Sugar Angel Brenda knows what it’s like to be a parent of a child with health issues. When her son was born prematurely, she had to manage her life along with his needs. She had just enrolled in cake design classes, but found it hard to attend every class while caring for her son’s health. But Brenda did not let this stop her. Since she had all the books and materials she needed, why not learn it all herself?

Brenda started out small, making cakes for family and friends, but soon, even friends of friends were clamoring for her cakes. People are constantly telling her to start her own business, but she is driven by a much deeper goal. Being able to provide designer style cakes to people who may not otherwise be able to afford them is that bigger motivation for her. When she found Icing Smiles, becoming a Sugar Angel was a no-brainer.

Her favorite cakes to create are the ones where she gets free reign to make the most elegant design she can imagine. That’s just what she got with Kylee’s end of chemo cake. Kylee’s only requirements were the colors orange, yellow, and white; everything else was up to Brenda. She knew this was the cake she would finally get to try the fault-line technique, making a beautiful design within a “fault-line” within the cake. She filled the section with a cheerful bouquet of eye catching flowers. She was nervous since it was her first time with the technique, but she trusted in her skills and  it came out perfectly. It added a touch of class to the high-end cake’s top tier.

Brenda always puts her heart and soul into each and every Icing Smiles cake because she knows how important they can be to the family. While it may seem small, it can mean the world to a family to see their child happily enjoying their celebration cake. That’s why we are so grateful for Sugar Angels like Brenda who go the extra mile to make a family’s day!