ppilotmike
Well Known Member
I am writing to ask for help from the VAF community for a special 15 year old kid I know. His name is Alex Cuellar and he is currently battling an unknown type of malignant brain tumor. Here's some pictures and a brief bit of his story, from his mother, Michelle:
https://picasaweb.google.com/109414440645033591020/Alex#5732051422752806482
https://picasaweb.google.com/109414440645033591020/Alex#5732051423410013986
https://picasaweb.google.com/109414440645033591020/Alex#5732395420233493906
"Alex was born to proud parents, Michelle & Alejandro Cuellar, on August 29, 1995. On August 16, 2011, he was diagnosed with a very rare malignant tumor in the brain called Atypical Terratoid Rhamboid Tumor (ATRT for short). The doctors began very aggressive treatments using chemotherapy and radiation. Alex was hospitalized for several weeks with complications. His blood cell count dropped so low, that he had to receive multiple blood transfusions. As if to add insult to injury, genetic testing later proved that it was not ATRT, but an unknown malignant brain tumor. The doctors determined Alex could no longer be treated with chemo, because it made him so sick, and suggested immunotherapy might be the only option. Luckily, before immunotherapy treatment, the doctor called for another MRI. The tumor had stopped growing. They decided to stop all treatment and let him heal. Alex continues to get MRI’s every 3 months to make sure there is no tumor growth. His big challenge right now, is to gain weight. He currently weighs only 96 lbs. Getting back to his “normal” weight will be a slow process, because Alex has difficulty eating solid foods. He is only drinking instant breakfast shakes and eating soups. Before Alex was diagnosed, he was enrolled in flight school, earning hours towards his private pilot's license. He wishes to get back into flying, so gaining his strength back will help. The other problem is that this tumor was pressing on the third nerve, so he had vision issues at first, but it seems to be recovering. We hope that it fully recovers, because Alex wants to become a commercial pilot when he grows up."
Alex is a good kid, who loves airplanes. When he heard we were building an RV-10 in our garage, just had to come and see it. I conducted a short "Aircraft Building 101" course for him in my shop. I taught him how to measure, match-drill and drive all types of rivets using various methods. I showed him pictures of all the planes you could "build by yourself" in my Vans Book of RVs. Then, as is always inevitable when people like us talk about experimental aircraft, we talked about Oshkosh. As an EAA member, Alex was already on top of it, rattling off all kinds of information about this year's event. I asked if he'd ever been to OSH. He answered "no", and said it probably wasn't financially possible. I asked, "if you could go, would you be healthy enough to go?" He said he would certainly try. I told him "don't give up" and "if you can get to OSH, I promise you won't be disappointed." As he left, Alex told me he would ask the "Make a Wish" people, and that hopefully he would see me there this year...
My request is simple.. Assuming he can keep getting better, and that his doctors and parents sign off on it, is there any way we can get this kid to Oshkosh this year in an RV?
https://picasaweb.google.com/109414440645033591020/Alex#5732051422752806482
https://picasaweb.google.com/109414440645033591020/Alex#5732051423410013986
https://picasaweb.google.com/109414440645033591020/Alex#5732395420233493906
"Alex was born to proud parents, Michelle & Alejandro Cuellar, on August 29, 1995. On August 16, 2011, he was diagnosed with a very rare malignant tumor in the brain called Atypical Terratoid Rhamboid Tumor (ATRT for short). The doctors began very aggressive treatments using chemotherapy and radiation. Alex was hospitalized for several weeks with complications. His blood cell count dropped so low, that he had to receive multiple blood transfusions. As if to add insult to injury, genetic testing later proved that it was not ATRT, but an unknown malignant brain tumor. The doctors determined Alex could no longer be treated with chemo, because it made him so sick, and suggested immunotherapy might be the only option. Luckily, before immunotherapy treatment, the doctor called for another MRI. The tumor had stopped growing. They decided to stop all treatment and let him heal. Alex continues to get MRI’s every 3 months to make sure there is no tumor growth. His big challenge right now, is to gain weight. He currently weighs only 96 lbs. Getting back to his “normal” weight will be a slow process, because Alex has difficulty eating solid foods. He is only drinking instant breakfast shakes and eating soups. Before Alex was diagnosed, he was enrolled in flight school, earning hours towards his private pilot's license. He wishes to get back into flying, so gaining his strength back will help. The other problem is that this tumor was pressing on the third nerve, so he had vision issues at first, but it seems to be recovering. We hope that it fully recovers, because Alex wants to become a commercial pilot when he grows up."
Alex is a good kid, who loves airplanes. When he heard we were building an RV-10 in our garage, just had to come and see it. I conducted a short "Aircraft Building 101" course for him in my shop. I taught him how to measure, match-drill and drive all types of rivets using various methods. I showed him pictures of all the planes you could "build by yourself" in my Vans Book of RVs. Then, as is always inevitable when people like us talk about experimental aircraft, we talked about Oshkosh. As an EAA member, Alex was already on top of it, rattling off all kinds of information about this year's event. I asked if he'd ever been to OSH. He answered "no", and said it probably wasn't financially possible. I asked, "if you could go, would you be healthy enough to go?" He said he would certainly try. I told him "don't give up" and "if you can get to OSH, I promise you won't be disappointed." As he left, Alex told me he would ask the "Make a Wish" people, and that hopefully he would see me there this year...
My request is simple.. Assuming he can keep getting better, and that his doctors and parents sign off on it, is there any way we can get this kid to Oshkosh this year in an RV?
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