European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 25, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Thursday May 25, 1989 the stars and stripes Page 9 parents Nightmare turns into Miracle child stricken with brain cancer overcoming Odds by Janet 1io\veus-tiernf.y staff writer Dor Holzhausen West Germany it was a Nightmare Freddie and Juanita Harding wanted very badly to Wake up from. On new year s Day the two overseas schoolteachers found out Why their 8-year-old son Joshua was slut ring his speech feeling numbness in his righthand having trouble with his balance and vomiting daily. Doctors at Gic Ssan s University clinic diagnose the youngster As having 10 malignant brain tutors and one on his spine. They figured the tutors had grown quickly Over a three or four month period. The parents of the red haired third grader were told that he probably would t survive Long enough to finish elementary school. Freddie and Juanita along with their other children Jay. 12, and Lanada 14, made important the night before he went into surgery we prayed together and i cried on his Pillow. He patted my hand and told me everything would be All  Freddie Harding decisions Over the next few Days. Clinging to each other and demonstrating a steadfast Faith in god they permitted doctors to operate on Joshua to get tissue samples of the inoperable growths. We told Joshua it would take a Miracle Freddie said. The night before he went into surgery we prayed together and 1 cried on his Pillow. He patted my hand and told me everything would be All  Joshua was operated on two Days after the diagnosis was made. Then doctors started chemotherapy and Cobalt treatments. It was a dark time Freddie said. To Sec a son you love with his head Cut open his hair falling out. Then to hear him screaming out of recover they re torturing me " Juanita a kindergarten teacher at but Bach elementary school took an extended leave of absence without pay to stay at her son s bedside. Freddie a physics teacher at Giessen High school used up All his leave then took an additional 29 Days without pay the longest period possible without losing the family s health insurance benefits and living quarters allowance. There is no program for Dodds department of defense dependents schools employees to share their leave As government workers can so i had to work knowing my wife and son needed  he said. As a Type of protest Freddie wore a Button featuring a photo of Joshua and the words i would rather be with my son right  he told his classes that he was not Back because everything was All right and stressed that he needed their cooperation. I broke Down a couple times and had to step off into a  Freddie said. They were very  meanwhile Joshua continued the painful treatments at one Point becoming so weak that he could not talk Swallow or stand. His parents watched with horror As other children in the Canci a Ward died. Members of the military and civilian Community did not stand by idly watching the Harding tragedy. They took action. For months after Joshua s condition became known teachers from Butzbach elementary provided dinners for the family. Often when the exhausted parents would Stop at Home m the German Village of do Holzhausen for clean clothes neighbors would come by. They would always come to be with us when we  Joshua hard Iii 8. Poses with the Happy self portraits of his classmates that adorn a Wall in his room. Needed them most Juanita said. Even if it was just to cry with  Joshua s third Grade classmates sent pictures they Drew of themselves so he would t forget them while others everyone from local germans to soldiers assigned in the area sent postcards and letters that brought a smile to the boy s face. And the Community soon found an even More tangible Way to help although the allarding s health insurance covered most of the costs paper work processing took longer than the Hospital allowed for payment. Additionally lodging for his parents near the Hospital was proving to be expensive. So Church groups students and teachers. Army units private organizations and Een the do Holzhausen fire department went to work raising Money to pay the hardings mounting Bills. To Date More than $16,000 has been raised to help the family keep up with the costs that have accumulated Over four months for Joshua s care. Some donations came from unexpected places. The hardings landlord for instance gave the family a month s free rent and planted a Flower bed near their doorway. A stranger gave 1,000 Marks because his son had died of cancer. At first when this happened we wanted i run Home to the United Stales Freddie said. Hut they had the equipment and doctors Here to treat Joshua. We were told he should t travel either so we stayed. Now we know there s no better place for us to be right now. People Are reaching out with their  in the midst of this outpouring of support came the results of Joshua s third nuclear magnetic resonance scan results that baffled doctors and convinced the hardings that a Miracle was in the making All but one of the tutors had disappeared and the one that remained had shrunk. Soon after the scan results were confirmed All medication was halted and Joshua was allowed to go Home in the first week in May. When we left the Hospital we told the doctors and nurses we would never forget them As though we were never coming Back Freddie said. Of course Joshua has returned to the Hospital for further tests but with Only positive results. The Lone tumor continues to shrink and the freckled faced boy continues to gel stronger. On a recent sunny Day Joshua was preparing to go for a ride on a Bike donated by his father s school. Mom we arc s my other shoe he said. Finally the lost shoe was found and with a practice flick of his wrist he placed a Cap Over his still hairless head. Getting positioned on his new Bike Joshua lost his balance a moment and stepped into the newly planted Flower bed. Whoops he said his Blue eyes Bright.  in a Flash the grinning boy peddled olt Down the Street. I Ost cards or letters can be sent to Joshua . Harding co r. Fredrick Harding Wiessen High school Apo 09169-0005. Contributions to the Community fund can be sent to the Joshua . Harding fund account number 1-41225173, merchants National rank Apo 09169.