Resilient, positive, and determined are a few words that describe 16-year-old Aaron. These traits served him well through his battle with cancer and continue to guide his life today.
When he was 4, Aaron stopped walking. An MRI revealed the cause - a tumor on his spine. A few days later, his family received the official diagnosis – Ewing sarcoma, a rare bone and soft tissue cancer.
Cancer treatment started right away, even while he was still re-learning how to walk. Over the course of seven months, Aaron endured surgeries and physical therapy, underwent 14 rounds of chemotherapy and 28 rounds of proton beam radiation, six hours from home. In all, Aaron spent 82 nights in the hospital during treatment.
Yet, Aaron is so much more than his cancer diagnosis. He is an accomplished guitar player and plays tennis for his high school varsity team. He is an avid reader, but like most teenagers he also loves video games and movies. And while he competes in tennis, soccer is his favorite sport, with Lionel Messi of Inter Miami being his favorite athlete.
There’s no doubt that Aaron will continue to face the ups and downs ahead with the signature determination that has gotten him this far.
