Sunday, January 16, 2011

Special


I have a friend who has the most gorgeous family. Her eldest is one of my eldest's besties. I started running with her. We found some great tracks and were finding a good rhythm, when one day, on our way to a run, she got called back to school. Her littlest fella, Aidan had become sick in class. This had been going on a while.  A week or two later, this gorgeous family's lives changed when her little guy was diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumour. That was August.  Today, Aidan is responding well to treatment, his cancer is not liking the chemo cocktail. Thank God.

And through this time, the family has hit their stride. They always have been fabulous, but if possible they have grown even more fabulous. They have embraced this new world and they have locked eyes with Aidan's illness and are staring it down. Big time. We all shake our heads "what an incredible family, what amazing strength". I have shed quiet tears watching a mothers beautiful intimacy with her little boy. I have watched gobsmacked as two siblings with a life disrupted, rampage through a collection of school prizes and academic achievements. I have had goosebumps from hearing Aidan talk and sit on the ground with a sausage and bread with my boys at a bbq. I have been grateful for being able to help even in a teeny way.

But words can't describe what a family is doing, what a brother is doing to help a cause that has touched and is saving their little guy's life.

Harrison, Aidan's 10 year old brother, and a group of 9 and 10 year old buddies on 6th February, are swimming the iconic Cole Classic, a 1km Ocean Swim from Shelley Beach to Manly. They will battle an unpredictable surf, the real risk of sharks, the even realer risk of blue bottles.  They will battle their age, a throng of people, a kilometre of surf. And they are doing it to raise money for Oncology Children's Foundation.  They are doing it for Aidan.

Check what they are doing here and bless the Manly Daily for this gorgeous piece here.  A few months ago, Aidan couldn't stand, and look at him now in the water with the big boys!

If this isn't an example of the power of love and human spirit, then I don't know what is.

5 comments:

  1. Oh Lisa that is just beautiful. I hope Aidan makes a full recovery. xx

    ReplyDelete
  2. Well said Lisa. :-) So inspired by them; not sure I could be that strong (although I know Sue would tell me you just don't know until you're faced with a battle like this).

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi hun,

    Brought tears to my eyes on so many levels. Thanks for this.

    Hope to see you soon.
    Leigh

    ReplyDelete
  4. I am a very close friend of the Fisks but am living in London for now. I have known and loved them all from when Harrison was at pre school where my son was his best buddy. My family share your grief and constant amazement at what the Fisk family is doing ...their strength, courage and most importantly undying love for one another. May god bless them all and especially little Aidan. Learne

    ReplyDelete
  5. Thanks for the lovely comments guys. This beautiful family is beautiful in every sense of the word.

    ReplyDelete