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Community rallies around Loxahatchee boy with bone cancer

Posted at 2:25 PM, May 03, 2019
and last updated 2019-05-03 19:15:14-04

LOXAHATCHEE ACREAGE, Fla. — Teachers, classmates, and a community are rallying around a Palm Beach County boy who's fighting bone cancer.

Eight-year-old Josh Barbenell is a second grader at Frontier Elementary School in Loxahatchee.

Doctors recently diagnosed him with a very aggressive form of bone cancer called malignant osteosarcoma.

His family said he'd been experiencing leg pain and thought it was just part of a growth spurt. But when the pain got worse, an X-ray revealed a mass on his bone.

Josh's family said he has multiple surgeries ahead of him, followed by nine months of chemotherapy. Additional MRIs are also being done to see if the cancer has spread to other parts of Josh's body.

On Friday, students at Frontier Elementary School put together a care package for Josh, including cards and toys.

In addition, a GoFundMe account has been set up to help Josh's family with their medical bills. His family is using the #BombAwayCancer to raise support.

To donate to Josh's recovery, click here.