A Petersburg teenager who was featured on an ESPN My Wish series this month has restarted medical treatment in Seattle after learning last week his leukemia has returned.
15-year-old Joseph Tagaban spent July 15th in Orange County, California shooting baskets and hanging around with NBA star Klay Thompson of the Golden State Warriors. Less than a week later during a routine check up in Seattle he learned that his cancer was back after eight months in remission.
He’ll remain in Seattle with his family for what could be another 15 months of treatment, including a bone marrow transplant. That could mean the high school sophomore will have to attend school remotely from Seattle and has to stay away from friends.
Joe Viechnicki spoke with his parents Je and Ed Tagaban Wednesday from Joseph’s hospital room at Seattle Children’s. Joseph had just finished his first dose of a new round of chemotherapy.
Donation accounts for the family are set up at First Bank and Wells Fargo. There’s also an online fundraising site and a website to register as a possible bone marrow donor.
Cards and letters can be sent to
Joseph Tagaban
C/O Ronald McDonald House
5130 40th Ave, NE
Seattle, WA 98105
