Every year, the Make-A-Wish Foundation reaches out to children who are suffering from serious or life threatening conditions and helps to make their special wish come true. KUSI's Sasha Foo has the story of a young boy who shows us what it's like to bravely sail through some rough seas.
Aidan Inman has a rare form of childhood cancer. The 7-ear-old is battling Neuroblastoma, an aggressive cancer. He was stage four when he was diagnosed. This particular type of cancer typically has 40-percent chance of survival.
This second grader from the North County is not just surviving, he's thriving.
In between hospital stays and trips to New York for specialized treatment, Aidan got a call last year from the Make-A-Wish Foundation, they told him he could go anywhere he wanted to go.
That destination was the Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas. In May, Make-A-Wish arranged for Aidan and his family to fly to Florida, and then sail to Atlantis on a Disney cruise.
The family went in style, beginning their trip with a limo ride. Aboard the ship, Aidan became a big fan of the water slides. But the greatest thrill would await him off the ship in the ocean waters where Aidan would go swimming with dolphins.
Because of his illness, Aidan missed all of his first grade classes last year and he's facing still another year of anti-body treatments in New York. Treatments that can be uncomfortable, even painful. But his mother says Aidan's a fighter which could be part of the reason his doctors are so optimistic.
On the cruise, Aidan also met other Make-A-Wish" kids and every night, there was a small surprise waiting in his cabin. Little Mickey Mouse dolls and little chocolates were some of the surprises left in his cabin by Make-A-Wish.
But for Aidan and his family, the gift that meant the most was this break from the daily stress and worry.
Aidan's cancer is in remission right now and that makes him feel stronger. This spirited child just can't wait to "swim away" to life's next grand adventure.
