Make A Child Smile

Aidan's Story
written by grandpa Chet

Aidan is a charismatic little boy residing in Richland, Washington USA. Aidan was so eager to join his mommy Tanya, dad Mike, and big brother Sage; he actually entered the world 6 weeks early when he was born on August 18th, 2001. His eagerness to get things started led to some complications and the first six months of Aidan’s life were fairly eventful.

Two weeks after his birth, Aidan was hospitalized after being diagnosed with E-coli in the ménages (a system of membranes which envelope the central nervous system). Even at this early age, Aidan was quite the fighter and he wasn’t about to let a little case of E-coli keep him away from the family that he loved. After two weeks in the hospital, Aidan returned home where things progressed well. At 6 months, life took another turn and Aidan was again hospitalized with severe dehydration due to rotavirus. With his fighting spirit already firmly entrenched, Aidan successfully traversed this little bump in the road and again returned home to move on with his life.

Life in general now seemed to be going very smoothly and Aidan developed into a determined loving little ball of energy with an extremely entertaining personality. To say he could capture any room he entered would be an understatement. His excellent behavior, good nature, vocabulary, and humor were all well beyond his age, and he simply had a way to bring a smile to the face of everybody he met. These traits would serve him well in the journey he was about to begin.

Everything changed for Aidan and his family early in the afternoon of Friday April 14th 2006. After numerous visits with local doctors, none could determine why Aidan was now having difficulties walking, could no longer feed himself, and required assistance with normal activities that previously had not caused him any problems. A visit to Seattle Children’s Hospital brought the news that every parent fears. Aidan was diagnosed with a Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma. This is an exceedingly rare form of brainstem cancer that mostly affects the very young and it is recognized to be uniformly and universally terminal. Currently the treatment options are very limited, and unfortunately the cancers statistics are unnerving and beyond horrifying.

• There are only about 200 cases diagnosed each year.
• Due to the diffuse nature of the cancer there are no surgical options, and current chemotherapies have been found to be ineffective.
• With radiation, the median survival rate is less than 12 months.
• The chance of continued survival beyond 1 year is something less than 8%.

While these statistics are extraordinarily dire, Aidan and his family believe that these are the cancer’s statistics and they do not necessarily have to belong to Aidan. They realize that medicine alone may not be able to save him, but miracles happen everyday… so Why Not Aidan? With the faith that their God will provide for them if they put themselves in a position to receive, Aidan and his family confidently set out upon the journey to his miracle.

Earlier in life Aidan had already demonstrated his toughness and resolve, but the journey he was now to undertake would be formidable indeed. Aidan endured six weeks of radiation that required daily sedation. While this would wear on the sturdiest amongst us, Aidan showed great courage, tolerated it well, and used his wit and humor to make it much easier on all those around him. Six weeks of bombardment managed to take away a good deal of his hair, but it couldn’t even dent his character or charm.

Knowing radiation alone has not yet been found to be successful, Aidan courageously enrolled a Phase II clinical trial which is testing the effectiveness of the cancer inhibiting drug known as Iressa. As has always been his nature, Aidan accepts his daily medication without complaint and shakes off the minor side effects as just part of the business of “killing the cancer bugs in my head”.

While hopeful that the radiation and Iressa would put this cancer in retreat, Aidan and his family know that still today medicine alone is incapable of providing them the miracle they are seeking. This miracle will take something special… it will require an unending faith, the love and support of many, and the constant petitioning of our God to open a door which up until today has been securely shut. With a compelling story of a battle against all odds, and with a brave young charismatic warrior leading the way, Aidan and his family have recruited countless others to join them on their journey and to share in this ongoing miracle.

While the road to a cure is not yet complete, these efforts have seen Aidan well down the path to his miracle. Aidan’s tumor was initially reduced by 65%, and today that tumor remains remarkably stable and unchanged. Where he was originally expected to only survive for a period of a few months, he is now quickly approaching a time where he can count his survival in years. Aidan shows absolutely no symptoms of the tumor he still carries, he has never been hospitalized, never been shunted, and never taken any steroids. These incredible results have become a beacon of hope and inspiration for others, where before Aidan there was little or none.

With determination, confidence, and faith… and with a witty, charming, and captivating warrior leading the way, Aidan, his family, and his many supporters continue their journey to the most impressive of miracles.