Aidan Benoit was a happy, loving 2-1/2 year old boy who loved to play and was anxiously awaiting the arrival of his new baby brother or sister when he suddenly became ill. After many visits to doctors over about three weeks, he was sent to SickKids and was diagnosed with a very rare and deadly form of children’s cancer, Neuroblastoma. I will never forget the day that the doctors came in to confirm the terrible news and explain how difficult this form of cancer was to treat. Aidan was sitting on my lap and when I began to cry, he reached over and pulled out a tissue from the box on his bedside table to wipe my tears and gave me a big hug. That was who he was! The most loving and caring child I had ever known.

Treatment began very quickly after diagnosis and it was very aggressive. Aidan underwent very intense chemotherapy treatment, had a g-tube to aid with his nutrition, countless CT scans, MIGB scans, blood transfusions, needles, ultrasounds, x-rays, bone scans an 8 hour surgery to remove his tumor, a bone marrow transplant and radiation therapy. He spent the majority of 9 months in SickKids hospital with few short visits home.

He loved being home. It gave him time to spend with his baby brother Nathan, who was born 1 month after Aidan was diagnosed. He wanted to teach him everything and would say, “cuz that’s what big brother’s do, right mommy.” He loved the movie Cars and collected all things cars related. He loved Sponge Bob and Doodlebops and wanted to sing and dance and entertain us with his toy instruments. He loved Keith Urban and wanted to be a singer just like him. He also wanted to be a hockey player just like his daddy and to one-day play for the Toronto Maple Leafs. He was a normal little boy who had to fight a terrible disease and did so with such strength and courage. He was an inspiration to us all.

After his bone marrow transplant all signs were pointing to a complete and full recovery. We were all so happy to see him gaining his strength and feeling good again. The doctors were so pleased with his success and began to take steps to wean him off of treatment. His central line was removed and there was a plan to remove his g-tube when after a routine follow up CT scan brought everything to a crashing halt. New tumors had appeared. We were told that through chemotherapy his life could be prolonged for a few years but there was no cure. He would have to have chemo every three weeks for the rest of his life. Aidan was once again hospitalized and after two more rounds of chemo the tumors proved to be too aggressive and there was nothing that could be done for our beautiful son.

Aidan was given the opportunity to go to a Toronto Maple Leaf practice and then meet the players in the dressing room thanks to a good family friend, Jamal Mayers of the St. Louis Blues and the NHLPA. This was an incredible experience for him and we brought him home the next day and he lost his courageous battle only 5 days later. This was only two months after his relapse.

Shortly after his death, a close family friend had a very powerful dream of Aidan. He was unable to speak to her in the dream but was trying to show her a formula of some sort. She determined that he was showing her the cure for Neuroblastoma. I believe that he was trying to tell us that there is a cure and we have to fight to find it.

Aidan was such a caring child and I am positive that he wants us to help others. He doesn’t want anyone else to have to suffer the pain of this horrible disease. He doesn’t want any other family to have to suffer the pain of the loss of their child to this murderer.

We need to stop this cancer. All of the proceeds from Aidan’s Quest Fund will go to help the research efforts in the James Birrell lab at the Hospital for Sick Childern to finally put an end to this disease. We have to protect our children. We have to be as strong and courageous as Aidan was who unfortunately lost his life just months before a cure could be found. A sweet and loving child who lost his life before turning 4 years old. A boy who spent almost half of his very short life fighting cancer. We have to help other children and protect our children from cancer.

Help us make Aidan’s dream be realized! Please join in Aidan’s Quest and give generously. You can help save a child!