When five-year-old Ayden fell in June 2024, he felt intense pain that was not helped by an over-the-counter pain reliever. His mother, Sandra, knew it was time to take him to the Emergency Room. Ayden was diagnosed with a Wilms tumor, a rare type of kidney cancer that affects children. The tumor on his right kidney had ruptured during the fall and Ayden needed surgery followed by a week of radiation, and weekly chemotherapy.

Sandra is a single parent of Ayden and his two older sisters, Amanda (10) and Ariel (11). Before his illness, she worked full time as a coach at an employment service. Due to Ayden’s treatment schedule, Sandra couldn’t work as frequently, and the Brooklyn family’s life was shaken up in many other ways.

In August 2024, Sandra spoke with Friends of Karen’s Intake Coordinator/ Case Manager Estel and was then paired with our Social Worker Alyssa. After hearing Ayden and his family’s story, Alyssa understood they were in serious need of assistance. Since Ayden’s diagnosis, Sandra’s need to curtail working that summer was a blow to the family’s stability since she is their sole provider.

“When Ayden was diagnosed with a tumor in his kidney everything felt uncertain and I didn’t know how we could manage,” Sandra shared. “Thanks to Friends of Karen, my daughters and I have had incredible support throughout these months. Our social worker Alyssa has been a true lifeline. She has given us financial and emotional support over the six months, providing us with the tools we needed to navigate this journey.”

While Sandra was able to work intermittently, Alyssa collaborated with her to develop a plan for Friends of Karen to assist with rent and car payments, which was important since she needed her car for work and Ayden’s medical appointments. Alyssa provided information on how to apply for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits and coordinated with other organizations to ensure they would not fall behind on their bills.

Ayden received additional emotional support through Friends of Karen’s Sibling Support Program with Child Life Specialist Jennifer to help him build resilience and coping skills. Jennifer has engaged him in bibliotherapy (reading relevant books followed by an activity), worked to help Ayden name his feelings and how to express them, and discussed strategies to help him cope with visits to the clinic for bloodwork.

Ayden is currently doing well and completed his treatment in December 2024. He has returned to school full time. “Alyssa and Jennifer’s care and understanding have meant the world to us,” Sandra said. “Friends of Karen helped us through unimaginable stress, and we will be forever grateful.”