Aedan Wetherbee’s Fight Against Brain Cancer

I've launched this GoFundMe campaign to support my nephew who is bravely battling a rare brain cancer.

Your contribution will make a meaningful difference in his fight for survival.

Aedan is a courageous 15 year old which makes sense as both of his parents are disabled combat veterans and medics who served in the Iraq war.

Many people have asked how they can financially support Aedan and his parents during this difficult time.

Any donation made through this page will go directly to Aedan’s mom, Dawn, and will be used for the following:

1. help pay Aedan’s medical bills;

2. help pay for things to entertain Aedan while he is inpatient or when he has to stay home from school for 3 months.

Examples of entertainment include legos and model trains. Specifically new sets to make and a way to display them.

Thank you for your thoughtfulness and generosity!

We cannot believe this is real life.

Background: On June 28th 2023, 15 year old Aedan Wetherbee from Millis, Massachusetts began a courageous battle against CNS primary, ALK+ Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma (ALCL). ALCL is a rare form of brain cancer - rare due to Aedan’s young age and the cancer’s location in his brain.

Led by Dr. Laura Wiltsie, Pediatric Oncologist at Massachusetts General Hospital’s Pediatric Oncology Department, the team of nurses, doctors, and staff that are treating Aedan are AMAZING. Angels on earth. We are forever grateful to them and thankful that they paid attention in their science classes.

Aedan’s current course of chemo treatment consists of 5 days in patient and then 3 weeks off. As of this moment he has completed 2 of these cycles and has at least 2 more to go - possibly more depending on how the tumor responds.

Mid September Aedan will undergo a stem cell retrieval procedure. Once his cancer is almost completely defeated (hopefully at the end of the 4th chemo cycle) he will go in patient for one course of super high dose chemo for 5 days.

Upside: this should kill any remaining pieces of the tumor and any possible cancer cells floating anywhere else in his body.

Challenge: this will also kill his immune system.

Plan of attack: Aedan will get the autologous transplant of his stem cells from September right after that high dose treatment and will spend up to a month in the hospital until his immune system is strong enough to go home. He will have to stay out of school and away from crowds for 100 days from the transplant date to allow his immune system to fully recover. He will most likely remain on a daily med to ensure the tumor doesn’t re-appear, which is very likely due to his age and the type of cancer.

Overwhelming, right? Imagine dealing with this at age 15.

Weeks before this nightmare began, Aedan started his first job as a summer camp counselor. He was eager to return to school this fall and dive into his history class while on the weekends cruising around with his cousins just being teenagers.

Despite how incredibly unfair this situation is, Aedan continues to impress all of us with his positivity, sense of humor, and bomb fashion sense. In fact, before we fully understood the severity of his condition Aedan sarcastically named his tumor “Timmy” and family members had a cake made that read “FU Timmy!” in an attempt to lighten the mood. Always the comedian, Aedan is already planning Halloween costumes that incorporates his beautifully bald head.

On behalf of Aedan, Dawn (his mom), and Dan (his Dad) THANK YOU for your support, prayers, and love during the hardest chapter of their lives.

If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to reach out to me directly through this page.

Thank you!