Joseph's Dream

Meet Dream Kid Joseph, one of the toughest cowboys we’ve ever met! Joseph Sanford is a 10-year-old referred to us from Levine Children’s Hospital. He has battled Sickle Cell Anemia his entire life resulting in multiple surgeries, over 30 blood transfusions, and a pump to control his iron overload. However, the impact his condition has had on his life goes even further than just his health. Joseph and his family are originally from Baton Rouge, LA. His mom learned that there was a doctor at Levine Children’s Hospital in Charlotte that has had success with a new treatment. In November of 2015, she made the decision to move her and Joseph to take advantage of the opportunity. The two of them have been staying at the Ronald McDonald House while his dad continues to work and live in Baton Rouge. It has been hard for Joseph to be separated from his dad as they are extremely close, but his dad tries to fly in to see him as much as possible.

On May 12th of this year, Joseph received a stem cell transplant and his body seems to be responding great to it! His doctors continue to monitor his improving immune system and cell counts, but Joseph is known to be a true fighter. He is an eternal optimist, one of the most loving young men you’d ever meet, and an honor student. Joseph is a gentleman with the best manners around and loves his family.

His interests are like many other 10-year-olds. He enjoys watching TV and movies, playing games on his phone, and playing baseball. However, none of these compare to his interest in professional bull riding! He loves all things rodeo, his favorite movie is 8 Seconds, and he even knows all the best bulls in the circuit, often quoting their stats and successes. Although there are hundreds of professional bull riders, Joseph’s favorite is JB Mauney who happens to be ranked 3rd in the world. Just like his hero, Joseph is a winner and truly a real-life cowboy! Joseph enjoys watching bull riding and wants to one day be a World Champion Bull Rider. Although he’s had to deal with pain all his life that doesn’t stop him from loving the toughest sport on dirt.

Joseph’s sports hero, JB Mauney, is a 29-year-old professional bull rider from Charlotte, NC and he won the PBR World Championship in both 2013 and 2015. Not only is he one of the best bull riders in the world to earn his spot as Joseph’s sports hero, but they both share a toughness and resilient nature that bonds them together. Mom has shared that a normal childhood has been difficult due to the amount of pain the disease has caused. Often you will hear bull riders described as “gunslingers” or “dragon slayers,” their determination and fight are essential to being a successful bull rider. Joseph possesses this same attitude towards his disease and will not stop fighting despite his challenges over the years. He might not be a professional bull rider yet, but Joseph is still a star in our book.