On March 6, 2014, our lives were changed forever when our precious grandson, Caiden, passed away from a ruptured brain tumor. Caiden had a large, malignant tumor (nearly 8 centimeters in diameter) called a “Primitive Neuroectodermal Tumor” (PNET). Caiden died four days before his third birthday.
Caiden showed no symptoms of a brain tumor. He displayed only flu-like symptoms for 12 hours before the ambulance was called. He was sleeping with us when we heard him take his last breath at midnight. Through CPR, we were able to keep him breathing until the ambulance arrived. Within minutes of arriving at the hospital, a CT scan told us that the prognosis was hopeless and irreversible. Caiden was pronounced brain dead three days later, and subsequently removed from life support.
Caiden was a happy, vibrant two-year-old who was the “love of our lives”. He had big brown eyes and gorgeous auburn hair. His smile was contagious, and when people met Caiden they automatically fell in love with him. Caiden had such a zest for life, and lived every day to the fullest. Caiden loved trains, loved going to the zoo, and especially loved his little brother, Bryce.
As we continued to grieve for Caiden, we knew our lives would never be the same. But, as time passed, we realized we couldn’t continue to be sad. Instead, we concluded that our grief must be converted into something positive.
This is the moment we decided we wanted to help prevent this cancer from impacting another child. We are dedicated to ensuring that all children suffering from this deadly diagnosis will have a future. Ultimately, we have hope that there could be a cure for this disease.
In memory of Caiden, we have established a fund to grant money to scientists who are conducting medical research into innovative therapies and cures for childhood brain cancer. The CAM FUND has been secured under The Community Foundation for the CSRA’s non-profit umbrella (cfcsra.org). It is our desire to raise money through various fundraisers and donations. Our dream is to keep Caiden’s memory alive, while continually supporting medical exploration so that all of our children can expect a cancer-free future.
Please join us in investing in innovational research and hope for a cure in all of our children’s lifetimes. The most efficient way to help us grant desperately needed funds to scientists, working to save children from brain cancer, is to donate now. 100% of your donation will go directly to scientists who are committed to finding treatments for children fighting these childhood brain tumors. Please note that your contribution is completely tax-deductible.