hi, I’m Michelle and this is my son, Aidan’s, story
In January of 2026 my son was spending time with friends when he suddenly collapsed. After being taken to A&E, it was discovered that Aidan had a complete fracture of his right femur, the strongest bone in the body.
As concerned parents, my husband and I had many questions. Exactly how does a person fracture this bone with no acute trauma? That was when we received the devastating news that Aidan has cancer and the fracture occurred because he has a tumour within the bone. Over the last two months Aidan has had partial hip replacement surgery, multiple procedures, scans and biopsies to determine exactly what type of cancer he has. At this time (March 22nd) Aidan has been diagnosed with stage four non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, an aggressive form of blood cancer which created the tumours in his bones. Following further testing and biopsies, we know Aidan has tumours in seven bone areas and it is also present in some lymph nodes. He is 22 years old and is coming to terms with what this means.
My family is currently navigating this time with four small children at home who require our care as we coordinate hospital visits, conversations with doctors, food preparation and more while navigating our grief. Our main concern is building up Aidan’s body so he is better able to endure all future treatments.
Thank you to anyone who has donated food, supplements and made monetary donations. To date we have purchased/received probiotics, collagen supplements, wheatgrass, fresh turmeric and high quality foods that will nourish Aidan further. We have also purchased items to keep Aidan comfortable while he visits the hospital and recovers at home from his surgery. Starting this month (March), your donations have also helped Aidan attend a hydrotherapy pool so he can improve his mobility. If you would like to support us you can make a monetary donation or drop any physical items into the Urban Co-Op in Limerick. You’re welcome to donate food/supplements. If you would like to prepare food for our family, you can find details over at our MealTrain page. Thank you again for your love and support during this time!
For those looking to donate in USD (or any other currency) or via PayPal, your best option to do so is here. Thank you for reading Aidan's ongoing story and you can read more updates below ⬇️⬇️⬇️
Click this image to donate via Revolut
The donation box located in the Urban Co-Op where you can make donations during their business hours.
Aidan going outside for the first time in 11 days, post surgery
Thank you for your donations!
More Aidan Updates
On the 13th of February we met with Aidan’s oncologist. Aidan was officially diagnosed with having diffuse large B-cell lymphoma during this visit. To learn more about his specific type of cancer, please see here. This aggressive form of blood cancer usually presents in the lymphatic system itself- within and along lymph nodes primarily. The presentation of Aidan’s cancer is more rare, as the tumours began in the bone.
Aidan currently has tumours in the femur bones of both legs, his pelvis, spine and his right upper arm. Because of their location, he has been diagnosed with stage four cancer. In this circumstance, treating Aidan’s cancer is possible and the recommendation is chemotherapy, which will take place until June 2026. We have educated Aidan’s four younger siblings about what chemo is, how Aidan’s appearance may change, how he’s more prone to illness, etc.
Since the very beginning of this journey, our priority has been on supporting Aidan’s body so it can heal. We continue with high-quality foods, supplements, fresh air, physiotherapy, holistic therapies, talk therapy and he is attending St. Gabriel’s pool in Limerick for physical rehabilitation for his hip surgery recovery. Thank you to everyone who has reached out to support us during this time 🩷
Following Aidan’s PET scan, we have been told that there is also cancer present in some of Aidan’s lymph nodes. We knew this was possible, however, it was still a blow to here that the cancer is in more areas of the body. On February 19th Aidan started his first round of chemotherapy. The difficulty of this journey continues as he deals with the side effects of the treatment, which will be ongoing for months. We are supporting Aidan as he rests from the constant tiredness and offering him food, while trying to improve his appetite. Thank you again to everyone who has offered support us during this time 🙏
Support Aidan with Fun!
Aidan is a Lego-lover and he shares this passion with his siblings. During this time Aidan has been putting together Lego sets to practice mindfulness, do something he enjoys and keep his spirits up. I think it also reminds him of simpler, nostalgic times as a kid. If you’re a fellow Lego fan or would like to send him something to make him smile, he would love a surprise. He enjoys all Lego, including older sets and newer releases. Please use the contact button below to express your interest and we’ll send on a postal address. If you would like to see a little wish list we’ve put together for him, you can do so here.
All these “little things” make a big difference and help lighten the load during what has been a turbulent time. Thank you so much in advance x