JOE ROCHE
FOUNDATION
CANCER SUCKS!
I should know, it took my life. Read my story and learn how you can help others get a second chance at life.
ABOUT THE JOE ROCHE FOUNDATION
The Joe Roche Foundation is a tribute to Joe Roche and a support system for young adults who are affected by blood cancer.
Our foundation aims to provide emotional support and practical assistance for those who are going through this difficult time. We strive to spread awareness about blood cancer and to raise funds for research, treatment, and care. Join us in our mission to make a difference in the lives of those who are battling blood cancer.
ABOUT JOE ROCHE
Hi, my name is Joe Roche and I lost my life to cancer. I am channeling this message to you through my parents as I have something important to both share and ask of you.
And just to be upfront, by the end of my story, I will be asking for a donation but, much more importantly, I'm going to ask you to do something. It's a request that might save your life or the life of someone you love. So let's get started.
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First of all, I was an average 22 year old young man with my entire life ahead of me when I died.
I have two loving parents, a twin brother and a beautiful girlfriend. Life was good in our little middle class neighborhood. My mom is a teacher and my dad a businessman. Mom and dad were involved in my life and loved spending time with both me and my brother with lots of corny home movies to prove it!
JOE ROCHE
As for me, I was a very active kid and played all kinds of sports like soccer…basketball… wrestling… football…and my favorite, lacrosse!
My hobbies included stuff like airsoft, skateboarding, snowboarding, fishing, video games and plain old hanging with my friends. You can probably relate.
Besides a broken bone or a few stitches here and there, I was never sick.
Well, enough about my background. Probably not too different from yours. However, as I look back, things started to change for me in 2019.
WHAT IS T-CELL LYMPHOMA
According to the American Cancer Society, T-lymphoblastic (T-cell) Lymphoma is a Non-Hodgkin’s form of blood cancer that accounts for about 1% of all lymphomas. It's most common in teens or young adults, with males being affected more often than females. It can be considered either a lymphoma or a type of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), depending on how much of the bone marrow is involved (leukemias have more bone marrow involvement). The cancer cells are very early forms of T cells.
HOW TO HELP
There are two things you can do to help those suffering with this disease: