Ayden is a bright, sweet 14-year-old, who has a deep passion for the Seattle Seahawks.

When Ayden was one-year-old, he contracted Pneumococcal Bacteremia and sepsis. When his kidney did not recover, he was placed on dialysis for three years until he received a kidney transplant.

Nine years after his transplant, Ayden’s immunosuppression medication resulted in the development of a cancer called Post Transplant Lymphoproliferative Disorder. The good news? Ayden just recently completed treatment and is now in remission!

Meeting the Team

When the Children’s Cancer Association (CCA) received Ayden’s request to see his favorite team in action, our Link Program partnered with the Austen Everett Foundation to grant a special week-long Seattle experience for Ayden and his family where they attended a Seahawks practice and preseason game.

Ayden, along with a few other kids from the local area, were ecstatic to attend a private Seahawks practice where they took photos with the team and mascot, received a personalized and signed jersey from the players, and met head coach, Pete Carrol.

Exploring Seattle!

Ayden’s fun didn’t stop there. The CCA Link Program coordinated a 5 night, 6 day Seattle sightseeing experience with accommodations donated by Homewood Suites Seattle.

During their visit, iFly Seattle  also offered a special indoor skydiving flight for Ayden in which he soared through the air. It was a memorable experience for both him and his parents!

““This whole trip is about Ayden. It’s about doing some of the things he hasn’t done and some of things he wish he could do and now he can.””
– Carole, Ayden’s Mother

Ayden and his family were treated to some of Seattle’s landmark sights! Great Western Attractions donated three VIP Great Wheel tickets, three Wings Over Washington flights, and two souvenir books.

The family also received See it All passes, which included a visit to the Space Needle, the Chihuly Garden and Glass, the Seattle Aquarium, the Argosy Harbor Cruise and a ride on the Emerald City Trolley!

It was a community effort to say the least, and much of the experience wouldn’t have been possible without our generous partners.

Lastly, our CCA Link Program provided gas and spending money for the trip. It was truly an incredible week for Ayden, one which he is not likely to forget.

Thanks to the coordination of our Link Program, we were able to connect Ayden to a number of wonderful people and places. Link tackles the profound emotional and financial hardships of serious pediatric illness head on, engaging a network of caring people and organizations to provide families with essential needs assistance and support as well as special requests and experiences not met by other organizations.

If you are interested in connecting a seriously ill child with community resources or would like to donate to our Link program, contact our Link Program Manager Kelly DuVall.