BATON ROUGE — Roddneicka Joseph has been beating the odds from birth. She was born weighing one pound, eight ounces. As a child, she had multiple surgeries, including a procedure on her legs when she was 7-years-old to correct years of toe-walking.
In 2016, Joseph suffered a serious accident during a dance class that changed her life. Her right knee gave out, and within weeks, she couldn’t walk independently. She had a series of tests, including an MRI and spinal tap, and was diagnosed with Spastic Diplegic Cerebral Palsy, Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuritis, and other conditions that affect her spinal cord.
Medically induced coma
In her 24 years of life, Joseph has endured nine surgeries. During one of them, an intestinal surgery, there were complications and doctors had to place Joseph in a medically induced coma for two weeks.
“I beat death twice,” Joseph said. “God wasn’t ready for me yet. He knew I still had a future.”
Joseph said she experienced a spiritual encounter while she was in that coma, with her late best friend Lay. Jospeh met Lay when they were both younger during rehabilitation therapy.
“When I was in the coma, I saw her,” Joseph recalled. “She told me, ‘Stay, and look after my mom.’ I didn’t realize I was in a coma at all. I thought I was just dreaming. But when I woke up, I remembered every word.”
When she woke up, Joseph texted Lay’s mother, Lena, to tell her what happened. “Each year, I find a way to honor Lay’s memory and keep her spirit alive,” Joseph said. “This year, I decided to do something special for her mom’s birthday. I got her something in remembrance of Lay, to show that she’s never forgotten.”
Regaining her freedom
After months of rehab, Joseph started to regain her independence. She learned how to feed, dress, and transfer herself. She is also able to walk short distances using a walker, and uses a power wheelchair when she has to go farther.
Despite her challenges, she is still pursuing her dream of becoming a medical assistant. “Being a patient made me want to help others,” she said. “I know what it feels like to be scared and in pain, and I want to be the person who understands.”
Joseph also recently celebrated another big milestone: getting her driver’s license. “Getting my license means the world to me,” she said. “It’s a big step toward independence.”
A call for help
Now that she’s regained her independence, Joseph is taking the next big step toward full mobility.
“I just need a wheelchair-accessible vehicle so I can actually drive and live more freely,” she said.
Joseph’s 400-pound power wheelchair cannot fit into a standard vehicle, and local bus stops in her Baton Rouge neighborhood are often inaccessible or unsafe.
“Having a wheelchair-accessible vehicle would be life-changing,” she said. “It would give me the freedom to live without fear and the independence to move forward with my dreams.”
Joseph set up a Help Hope Live campaign to help her raise money for a wheelchair-accessible vehicle so she can drive herself to medical appointments, school, and community activities. You can donate to her medical fundraiser here.
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