We have an amazing 8 year old little boy called Aidan, who is extremely medically complex, but has the most amazing personality and smiles through everything.

Aidan was born 5 weeks early and we knew that he would have a difficult time but until the age of 3 he was only diagnosed with a severe development delay and at this point was eating orally. In August 2020, we started noticing that he was having frequent ‘zone outs’. So, his medical team arranged for him to have a MRI and a EEG, which shattered our worlds. He was diagnosed with Epilepsy, Spastic Diplegic Cerebal Palsy, 10mm Pineal cyst and Periventricular leukomalacia.

From this point we had medications introduced to try and help Aidan, but the seizures became out of control and caused monthly chest infections and he was in and out of hospital every month, and eventually he required a feeding tube as he developed a unsafe swallow.

In September 2022, Aidan had some pre operative test done at a specialist hospital, as he was due to have a PEG fitted as he was being fed via a NG tube. During this time he was already in hospital with a chest infection. We had a phone call with the results, which suggested Aidan may have a Malrotation, and if he did they could fix it during the surgery that was already planned. We were told to watch out for specific signs.

While we were still in hospital, these signs showed themselves and Aidan became ill very quickly, and we were rushed over to a specialist hospital in the middle of the night for emergency surgery. Aidan did have a malrotation which had caused his intestine to twist and bowel to block. He underwent a 5 hour surgery and was then admitted to the PICU. He was amazing, we were told it would be several weeks before he would be fit enough to be home, but in two weeks he was ready. This is when his problems with feeding started.

He then two weeks later required a JEG because his stomach had stopped working due to the operation. He was then JEG fed for a couple of years with no problems. He would have frequent chest infections, and regular episodes of him not tolerating feeds and lots of seizures requiring emergency medication, which in turn ment he was a regular visitor to our local hospital.

We then noticed in 2024 he was dropping his oxygen levels overnight and started requiring oxygen whenever he slept.

He then started having more prolonged episodes of not absorbing feeds and being constipated no matter what we tried, so he had surgery to have Colostomy which again he took to amazingly. This was supposed to be our game changer. It wasn’t.

In 2025 he just began to become extremely fatigued, even more seizures than normal, even longer prolonged episodes of not absorbing feeds and we just felt as we were loosing every aspect of him. So in November 2025, he was rushed to the specialist hospital as he was severely malnourished and very poorly and he was started on Parental Nutrition to fulfil his nutritional needs. We stayed there for three months but we got our Aidan back.

While this was all going on in the background we started having support from Helen and Douglas Hospice team. Who were our lifeline.

Aidan still has a rough time and requires deep suctioning now and regular chest physio along with everything else. But he always says thank you, no matter what he is put through. He is our absolute hero and alongside his younger brother keeps us going. He truly is the most resilient little boy and deserves the absolute world. Everyone that meets him says he is the most polite little boy and has an amazingly personality and keeps us on our toes.

Aidans Dad and Uncle plan to do the three peak challenge to raise funds for any further equipment Aidan needs that cannot be provided by the NHS and the other half will be donated to Helen and Douglas House Hospice, who from the very beginning made us not feel alone of this extremely complex journey we were being thrown on.

They plan to attempt the three peaks on 1st May.

So, please help us support our amazing hospice team and give Aidan the equipment he deserves to make this journey slightly easier for him and keep him smiling and allowing him to access everything a 8 year old boy should be.

50% of funds will be going to Helen House and 50% will be going towards Aidans equipment needs.