PARSIPPANY — Parsippany-Troy Hills Volunteer Fire District 6 and Parsippany-Troy Hills Elks Lodge 2078 hosted a breakfast benefit for Aiden Duran on Sunday, April 19.
All the proceeds from the event were given to the family of Aiden Duran to help with the expenses the family is occurring.
Andrew Lysandrou, a volunteer at Parippany-Troy Hills Fire District 6 arranged this fundraiser for the family.
This writer had the opportunity to meet family members and the family submitted their story to Parsippany Focus. We are sharing their message with our readers.
A message from the family of Aiden Alberto Duran:
Four year old Aiden is a warrior. He is a son, grandson, nephew, cousin, friend, and soon to be big brother of a little girl named Amy Angelica whom he is so anxious to meet. Since he was able to speak, Aiden has impressed us with his quick wit, charm, humor, and intelligence. His teacher told his mother that every day during recess, Aiden waits at the door until all of his classmates have passed through the door before he exits. It was also brought to our attention that he is very compassionate with all of his classmates as well. Wherever he saw a need, he demonstrated care, love, and compassion.
Today we will tell the story of a four year old, brave, and beloved little warrior named Aiden Alberto Duran. He arrived in October of 2010, a healthy eleven pound gorgeous little boy. He bought our family happiness and filled us with so much love.
During February of 2012, a parent’s worst nightmare occurred! Aiden was diagnosed with Clear Cell Sarcoma of the kidney. His parents were informed that he had to undergo surgery to remove the mass but they couldn’t save his kidney due to the size of the tumor which was attached to the organ. The treatment was intense and our families’ lives were changed forever. In May of 2013, Aiden’s appendix was removed. In October of 2013, Aiden got pneumonia and had to hospitalized again.
Aiden has always been a warrior. He DOESN’T know the word defeat! Aiden has been and is continually strong, full of life, love, and smiles. He has continually taught us to have faith and remain positive. It has been the glorious hand of God whom has sustained him and the family throughout all of these ordeals. The doctors couldn’t believe that with his diagnosis he was as strong as he was. We however, did know why he was as strong as he was. That is because ever since we knew that Carmen was pregnant, we claimed God’s blood and WORD over him since before he was even born and God’s divine word NEVER returns back void! When the enemy sees the blood of the Lamb, it flees for there is power in the blood of Jesus Christ! There is power in the name of Jesus!
God is our fortress and strong tower, an ever present help in the midst of our storms! The Psalmist said: “I will lift my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” Amen! We went with total confidence and drew from the throne of grace. It was there that we received mercy and found grace to help us in our time of need.
After several months of chemotherapy and some horrible scares, Aiden was finally cancer free! What a day! We praised God for his merciful hand over him and over time Aiden was able to attend pre-school. Aiden’s parents decided that it was time to continue their journey as a family and decided to give Aiden a baby sister. They decided to name her Amy Angelica. Amy Angelica will be born at the end of April 2015 and Aiden will be the best big brother anyone can ever have! Carmen’s pregnancy was full of happy days knowing that everything was back to normal and that the nightmare of painful days were left in the past.
This was until March 19, 2015. That Thursday, Aiden fell from his bed and hit his head on the ground. His parents rushed him to the Emergency Room for what they thought was a routine check-up for a simple bump. When the Cat-Scan results were revealed, once again the worst nightmare for a parent happened. They couldn’t believe that this was happening to them all over again!
The doctors informed his parents that Aiden had a massive brain tumor. God works in mysterious ways and we praise him continually no matter what! All things work out for good for those whom love the Lord and are called according to his purposes. By God’s beautiful grace, Aiden had not experienced any symptoms whatsoever and if it had not been that he fell from his bed, his diagnosis may have come too late. Due to his fall, his brain swole up.
Two days later on Saturday, March 21, the doctors decided to have emergency surgery due to the swelling of the brain. The family was informed that this surgery was going to undertake a minimum of six hours. BUT because our refuge and fortress is the Lion of the Tribe of Judah. Our full trust is in the God of Israel! In less than two hours, two of the doctors came out to inform us that the surgery had been a total success. They confessed that they thought there going to have to dissect it …BUT by God’s divine intervention, they were able to take the whole mass out in one piece and in under two hours. Praise be unto God! For he whom dwells in the shelter of the Most High WILL abide in the shadow of the Almighty. He truly is our refuge and fortress, our God in whom we fully trust!
At first Aiden was being treated at St. Barnabas Hospital in Livingston. Within days his parents decided to transfer Aiden to a children’s hospital that dealt with childhood illnesses. Aiden was transferred to CHOP – The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
On Tuesday, March 24, the pathology report came back indicating that cancer had returned. Our beautiful baby boy had to once again face this horrible disease. Although our world was crumbling around us and were full of sadness, at the same time we know in whom we trust. Although we were dismayed for a moment, we know whom our God is. We know that the bigger the battle, the mightier the LION ROARS and acts! God truly strengthened Aiden and all of our family. He upheld us with his righteous right hand.
That day a whole staff of people from The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia came to transport him to their hospital in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Within the same week that Aiden had emergency surgery to remove the tumor. He underwent a second surgery to put in a shunt in order to relieve the fluids on the brain. Shortly afterward, Aiden underwent his first round of chemotherapy. After his first round of chemotherapy, his parents decided that they had to leave behind their apartment in New Jersey, in order to be close to CHOP. Recently he underwent the first round of radiation and is currently in the hospital.
On Monday, April 13, Aiden’s blood and cell count fell and he had to be given a blood transfusion. He was admitted into the hospital since then but we know that when we call upon God’s name, he will not only acknowledge but helps us in our time of trouble. We have full confidence and faith that God will continually deliver Aiden because he is a Father of mercies and his mercies are new every single day. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies. The God of ALL comfort, whom comforts us in ALL of our afflictions and shall never leave us, nor forsake us.
We wish to thank GOD and also thank ALL whom have demonstrated their unconditional love for our beloved Aiden Duran. We wish to express how grateful we are to all who hosted a beautiful breakfast fundraiser for Aiden. Thank you Mr. Andrew Lysandrou of Parsippany. Thank you Estella Company. Thank you to the Parsippany Fire Association District 6, their Association President and all of their members.
Thank you to the Parsippany-Troy Hills Elks Lodge 2078, Mr. Doug Muroz and all of their members.
Thank you family and friends. Thank you to every single person here for your loving support! We sure appreciate all of you going the extra mile on this glorious Sunday in rallying support of our beloved Aiden. Thank you for having hosted a breakfast and we are truly grateful for your prayers, love, time, and kind support.
It seems only yesterday that our beloved nephew was taking his first steps and now he is four years old already! Aiden’s parents have had to stop working in order to be next to their precious son. Aiden’s little sister Amy Angelica is coming into this world in less than two weeks, and unfortunately the bills don‘t stop coming. This is why we are especially grateful for your support.
Your precious seed is being planted in good soil for we trust God that Aiden will serve him as a Minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We are certain that when Aiden is older, he will use these experiences as a testimony of God’s power and might.
We are certain that he whom began a good work in Aiden is faithful and just to complete it. Forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead because God has continually been our pillar. Aiden will continue to get treatment and our family is taking a stand against Cancer and stating out loud: “Cancer, YOU DON’T have a hold on our Aiden!” AMEN!
