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!