Danielle Merlino has many words to describe her nine-year-old son, Aidyn Delorme.
Resilient. Strong. Brave. Happy. He smiles as she says them.
It’s a testament to the spirit of a young boy who has had health problems from the beginning of his life.
“They took him right away after he was born, he was in the NICU, he had tubes everywhere,” Merlino told Global News.
Aidyn’s kidneys didn’t work, and it didn’t take long before he was hooked up to a dialysis machine.
“We were told he would need a kidney transplant,” Merlino said.
It would be years before the family would find a match. In the meantime, Merlino had to leave her job as Aidyn’s parents had to divide their team between their Langley home and BC Children’s Hospital, just over 50 kilometres away.
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But the family had some help along the way — from the David Foster Foundation, an organization that gives financial support to families whose children need organ transplants.
Named for the Victoria-born producer and songwriter behind hits such as “St. Elmo’s Fire (Man in Motion)” and the Oscar-nominated “The Prayer,” which was sung by Celine Dion and Andrea Bocelli, the organization is celebrating its 30th anniversary with an arena bowl concert at Rogers Arena on Saturday night.
The concert will feature artists such as Carly Rae Jepsen, Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler and former Tonight Show host Jay Leno.
“We come in alongside the family and take away that financial pressure so they can spend all their time being beside their child in a time of need,” foundation CEO Michael Ravenhill told Global News.
Families are facing increasing expenses and lower incomes, he said. Ravenhill maintained that “85 per cent of families will end up in bankruptcy or divorce if we don’t step in.”
Over 1,000 families have received assistance from the foundation.
And it was a major help for Merlino, who said the bills kept climbing as Aidyn received care. The foundation paid for accommodation.
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“I think over the years it worked out to be $10,000 worth in gas, then there’s parking, $100 a month,” she said.
But the family managed to stay together.
As for Aidyn? Three years ago, he received a new kidney.
“It was a miracle, it worked,” he said.
“It was a big miracle,” Danielle said, tearing up. “Mommy was relieved and happy, and proud of you.”