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Rose Daniels meant to be a journalist. But while studying magazine journalism at the University of Texas, she took two design courses as part of her curriculum. She fell madly in love.

In 2004, she turned Rose Daniels Design into a full-time graphic design studio, expanding her client roster and moving into new media. Over the years, she has helped non-profits find their voice, developed multimedia campaigns for mega-companies, crafted interactive websites for internationally-acclaimed authors and transformed the creative energy of modern dance companies into defining promotional materials.

In 2009, Rose took on the AIDAAN.org project. She is wonderful and amazing to work for! Her website says, “she likes the warm, fuzzy sensation when it all comes together just right.” Rose, you helped it come together for us!! AND WE THANK YOU!!

On a recent trip to New York, Aidan got to meet Rose face to face, and he was thrilled to spend some time with the creative visionary that helped put together this site

AIDAAN.org had the opportunity to participate in the 2010 Alternative Giving Fair at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church. St. Mark’s is helping the community think differently about giving and service. St. Mark’s mission is to welcome joyfully all people into a faithful community to praise God and to be transformed by Christ’s love through fellowship, teaching, and service to others.

The Alternative Giving Fair is an opportunity to donate to charitable organizations that aid people in need in the community and around the world. Many people make donations in honor of friends or family members. Some people donate at the fair as part of their yearly charitable giving. Unrestricted donations can be made to the participating groups, or you may choose a specific gift from the list on the back or from information at the organizations’ tables.

It is an opportunity to learn about the organizations, offer advice and give a gift that doesn’t come with a receipt – but with meaning!

At this year’s fair, Aidan’s goal was to help people understand the power of music as a distraction. He surveyed the attendees about their favorite music. Some of the results may surprise you!! AIDAAN.org presents the hottest Christmas playlist for 2010 -

Silent Night
Jingle Bells
White Christmas
Joy to the World
Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer
We Wish You a Merry Christmas
Away in a Manger
What Child Is This
O’ Come All Ye Faithful
O’ Come Emanuel
O’ Holy Night
Santa Claus is Coming to Town
Run Run Rudolph
Hark the Harold
I Heard the Bells
Frosty The Snowman

This Christmas — Give The Gift of Music! And tell them that this song list came from Aidan!!!

We recently delivered an iPod to Marquies Brooks. What an amazing young man!! We were honored to meet Marquies. He had tears in his eyes when he received his iPod, but we are the ones that are lucky! We wanted to share Marquies’ nomination because it tells the story of this wonderful “Angel In Disguise”

Gentina Thompson (the nominator) wrote:
I’ve known Marquies Brooks since he was 5 yrs old.
It took him awhile to warm up to me but since then, I knew we would be
friends. Marquies is very smart,funny and a determined young man.
Although he comes to the clinic often, he makes sure he’s on top of
his school work and house chores. Marquies is very close to his
family. His parents, Keyshia and Major Brooks are always with him
giving him support and love as parents do for their children. His
sister Raven, comes to visit as well. Their relationship as sister and
brother is very special. I nominate Marquies Brooks because he’s a
soldier overcoming all obstacles that face him. He’s growing into a
young man and I’m proud of him.

We are wishing the Brooks family our very best!! We are so glad to know you Marquies!

The children from Ms. Rangel’s 1st grade class and Mark Twain Elementary school had a successful candy delivery! They saved the day at M.D. Anderson! One of the Doctor’s at M.D. Anderson said that if it weren’t for a toostie pop from the candy one of his patients wouldn’t have made it through the day. Music, candy and fun….that is what it is all about! Thanks to all of the little Angels from Mark Twain!

Nate Immroth and the students of Mark Twain Elementary School are trading in their tricks this year to bring fun treats to the children of MD Anderson hospital. After realizing that some children might not get the opportunity to dress up and go out trick-or-treating, they decided to help out. They collected candy over a couple of weeks in boxes around campus. AIDAAN.org is going to deliver the candy to all of our friends and lil’ Angels at MD Anderson.
So, if you find yourself with some extra Halloween candy this year, stop by your local hospital and become an Angel In Disguise.

Meet Luke – one of our newest angels! This is a very courageous young man that is inspired by Christmas! He is a big fan of Christmas music, and might just be Santa In Disguise! The holidays are very therapeutic for Luke.

Some of Luke’s favorites include:
color – red
movie – Sponge Bob or Bolt
hobby – decorating for all holidays – especially Christmas
quote – “You never know” or “I’m Good”

Music is an amazing distraction, and Aidan went the extra mile to ensure that Luke had his favorite type of music while he was receiving his chemo treatments. Luke truly taught us that the spirit of giving isn’t just for Christmas! Thanks to all of the Angels In Disguise that helped make Luke’s stay in the hospital a little easier.

Aidan wanted to share this playlist with you all. Aidan said, “You know how people wish for summer in the winter time, well why not make it winter in the summer time.”

We are calling the playlist

S’winter or Wummer

Play it this summer and dream of a winter wonderland! As you listen, send your thoughts Luke and Aidan’s way this Christmas, AND everyday!

Angels We Have Heard on High/Cristina Aguilera
The Chipmunk Song/Alvin & The Chipmunks
The Christmas Song/Mel Tormé
Feliz Navidad/Celine Dion
Frosty The Snowman/Gene Autry
Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas/Aimee Mann
Here Comes Santa Claus/Bing Crosby
I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus/Jimmy Boyd
It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas/Perry C
Jingle Bell Rock/Bobby Helms
Jingle Bells/Barry Manilow (duet with Exposé)
Jingle Bells/Frank Sinatra
Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!/Aaron Neville
Little Saint Nick/The Beach Boys
Mele Kalikimaka/Bette Midler
Rokin’ Around The Christmas Tree/Brenda Lee
Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer/Gene Autry
Santa Baby/Eartha Kitt
Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town (single version)/Bruce Springstein
Silver Bells/Gene Autry
Sleigh Ride/Ella Fitzgerald
White Christmas/Taylor Swift

Dear Friends and Family,

I have to admit. I do catch an Oprah show every now and then. She was doing a show on the world’s most talented kids. I thought — there should be a show on the world’s bravest kids! In the past six months, we have met some of the most amazing kids you have known. We are lucky to know such wonderful Angels in Disguise. As I was watching, Charice (a young artist) sang a song, “Note To God”. This song really stuck in my mind.

We need your help. Wednesday is a tough day for a VERY VERY dear friend of AIDAAN.org. Take a minute and listen to the song. Write a note to God AND everyone that you know. Ask for strength for our friend. Ask for a cure to childhood cancer. Ask that no child has to suffer and pain. Ask that all of our little Angels find hope, strength and continued courage to fight their cancer. Then write a note to your friends and ask them to do the same.

If you are reading this, every child in this world that is facing surgery or a stay in the hospital needs your help. To my friend Aidan, you were the first to teach me courage! We love you, dear friend!

Click on the link below and listen to “Note To God”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4Xd435coD4&feature=related

I also wanted all of our friends and family to see the lyrics:
If I wrote a note to God
I would speak what’s in my soul
I’d ask for all the hate to be swept away
For love to overflow

If I wrote a note to God
I’d pour my heart out on each page
I’d ask for war to end
and for peace to mend this world

I’d say
I’d say
I’d say

Give us the strength to make it through
Help us find love, cause love is overdue
And it seems like so much is going wrong
On this road we’re on

If I wrote a note to God
I’d say please help us find a way
End all the bitterness, put some tenderness
in our hearts

I’d say
I’d say
I’d say

Give us the strength to make it through
Help us find love, cause love is overdue
And it looks like we haven’t got a clue
Need some help from you

Grant us the faith to carry on
Give us hope when it seems all hope is gone
Cause it seems like so much is going wrong
On this road we’re on

No
No

We can’t do it on our own

So
So

(Give us the strength to make it through
Help us find love, cause love is overdue)
And it looks like we haven’t got a clue
Need some help

Grant us the faith to carry on
Give us hope when it seems all hope is gone
Cause it seems like so much is going wrong
On this road we’re on

No
No
(No)We can’t do it on our own

(So)
So

If I wrote a note to God

We have so many new friends of the organization. I wish we could highlight every one of them. Susan Covington just became an Angel and helped us deliver an iPod to a very deserving young man in Austin, Texas.

This has truly been a week of ups and downs. Our friends on Facebook sent some great quotes and inspirational messages. One of our favorites:
“I will conquer what has never been conquered. Defeat will not be in my creed. I will believe where all those before me have doubted. I will acknowledge the fact that I am an elite warrior who arrives at the cutting edge of battle by any means at my disposal. I will always keep myself mentally alert, physically strong and morally straight and I will shoulder more than my share of the task whatever it may be. One hundred percent and more. Gallantly will I show the world that I am a specially selected and well trained warrior. My heart and my soul will be the fuel to carry my body when my limbs are to weary. I will never falter, I will never lose focus as long as there is hope in my mind and my heart still beats. I will never give in to the evil that is weakness and I will fight that evil with my dying breath. WHO AM I? …. I AM A CHAMPION!!!”

One friend sent over a list of her favorite music to dance to, favorite bands and more! Shellynda Martin is one of Aidan’s friends that is also fighting her own battle with cancer. She is a true Angel in Disguise, and we wanted to share some of her favorite music with you:
Favorite disco/techno/progressive music
Aqua
Aquarius CD

The Best of Heaven 17
Higher and Higher

Favorite Latin music
Selena
Dreaming of You

Zeca Baleiro
Por onde andará Stephen Fry? (Brazileño)

The Best of the Gypsy Kings

Favorite Irish music
The Rankin Family
Fare Thee Well (1995)

Favorite French music
Putumayo Presents Paris
Putumayo World Music

Favorite country music
Amy Grant
Rock of Ages- Hymns and Faith

Alison Krauss
Now That I’ve Found You

Favorite bands
The English Beat
Talking Heads (David Byrne)

Words cannot express our gratitude! So many people have helped our organization grow daily. We love you all!

To our friends that are fighting a battle with cancer, you are true heroes and we are sending positive thoughts your way for a fast and speedy recovery!

Thank you to the students, faculty and citizens of Cisco, Texas! May 7th was a fantastic day for Aidan and the organization.

May 7th was proclaimed AIDAAN.org Day! The website launch and pep rally was a huge success thanks to the dedication of all of the ANGELS in Cisco. We can’t thank you enough!

Please watch for fun updates, photos, video clips and special thanks! We are working hard to update the website to share the fun with all of our friends.

Aidan and his mom wrote the following message to the students and citizens of Cisco. “The kids and teachers (at MD Anderson) were blown away! CISCO is an amazing place. So much love is overwhelming and oh so special. This is such a great day. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!”

I was reminded this weekend about the power of music. It helps us tell a story. The meaning of a song changes depending on what is happening in our life. And, it can give us the courage to do something we never thought possible.

Friday night, I went to see the musical “Wicked” with friends. What an interesting spin on a childhood favorite. I listened to the words of the songs and they apply to what is happening with AIDAAN.org. Then, I met some new friends at the Bay Area Brain Tumor Walk, and those words took on new meaning!

In the song, “Defying Gravity” you hear the character, Elphaba (the Wicked Witch) singing, “I’m through accepting limits ’cause someone says they’re so. Some things I cannot change but till I try, I’ll never know.”

Defying Gravity – CLICK HERE

I thought about this song when I was talking to a wonderful person that I met at the Bay Area Brain Tumor Walk. Her name is Jackie, and at the age of 29 she found out that she had grade 3 astrocytoma glioma. She nicknamed her tumor, “turk”. Her motto for the event was “TURK IS TOAST!” She and her friends shattered their fund raising goal, and she is fighter that is going to win!
There is no limit to what we can do together! By sharing stories, donating bone marrow, giving a child a gift card, or just passing along a song -
“There’s no fight we cannot win
Just you and I
Defying gravity
With you and I
Defying gravity”

Aidan and Jackie, thanks for inspiring us all to Defy Gravity!