Boy Facing Terminal Cancer Visits Pokémon Go Fest With Help Of LI's Olivia Hope Foundation

SYOSSET, NY — A 10-year-old boy with terminal pancreatic cancer got to catch 'em all at Pokémon GO Fest in New York City in August with help from the Olivia Hope Foundation, a Syosset non-profit that has the goal of eradicating childhood cancer.

Aiden Bartley, who lives near Pittsburgh, was playing dek hockey last October, having fun and competing like other boys his age.

Three days later, Aiden was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

His mother, Meg Bartley, says her son was the first child diagnosed with his type of Stage 4 pancreatic cancer in the United States.

"Aiden was a very healthy kid," Meg told Patch. "Had no issues ... We had no idea anything was wrong with him."

Aiden received a six-months-to-live prognosis on July 27. His parents shielded him from the news so he would keep his will to fight and got to work trying to fulfill Aiden's dreams. Aiden created an 11-item bucket list, and his family crafted an Amazon wishlist of toys and games Aiden has always wanted. His grandmother, Connie Wetzel, created a GoFundMe to help raise money for Aiden's bucket list.

If you would like to donate to Aiden's GoFundMe, you may do so here.

Upon receiving Aiden's prognosis, his parents scrambled to find financial assistance with expenses and making their son's bucket list come true. Meg came across the Olivia Hope Foundation and asked for funds for car payments through the charity's Warrior Support program. She also mentioned Aiden's wish list.

"I read every story, and it’s heartbreaking," said Shelley LoRusso, co-founder of the Olivia Hope Foundation.

LoRusso reached out to Meg and asked to see the bucket list and noticed Aiden's wish of attending Pokémon GO Fest in New York City.

"I reached out to [Meg] and said 'We would like to do this for you,'" LoRusso said.

Aiden, a humongous Pokémon fan, has wanted to attend a Pokémon GO Fest event for years, Meg said.

"This is like the Super Bowl of Pokémon events," she said. "Every year, he watches it on YouTube, but seeing him able to participate in the events and be so happy despite everything that’s going on, that’s what was so great for his dad and I. Him being able to be a part of it rather than watch it on YouTube."

The Olivia Hope Foundation paid for the Bartley family's hotel, transportation, and food expenses. Shelley and her daughter, Gia, treated the Bartley family to lunch at Ellen's Stardust Diner in the city.

"They really took us in like we were family," Meg said.

Meg said it was comforting meeting another parent who went through what she currently is facing.

Shelley LoRusso and her family founded the Olivia Hope Foundation in 2018 after Olivia LaRusso died of acute myeloid leukemia at the age of 12 on April 16, 2017. The foundation, with the mission of ending childhood cancer, raises money for cancer research, financially supports families of childhood cancer patients, supports the siblings of pediatric cancer warriors, and highlights the stories of its Olivia Hope Heroes: including Aiden.

Gia, Olivia's older sister, said Aiden was a "typical kid" when they met at the diner. He ordered mozzarella sticks, was shy at first but eventually opened up, showing Gia and Shelley the Pokémon he caught on his mobile app.

"He was very cute, very sweet," Gia said. "It must have been very hard for him, especially when his mom was talking to my mom and I and sharing his story and what he is currently going through. He kind of just sat and wasn’t listening, but he knew what we were talking about."

Gia said Meg had to whisper the word "flush," or a procedure used to clear out one's abdominal cavity through a port after visible tumors and diseased tissue are removed. The word makes Aiden physically sick, his mother told them.

"We were completely heartbroken," Gia said. "He’s so brave but also so little. He was very inspiring, to say the least."

Shelley said helping children who are battling cancer like Aiden serves as "Band-Aids for our broken hearts."

"It makes me happy that he has a bucket list, because my daughter never got that chance to even think about that, because her cancer was so aggressive," Shelley said. "We were so hopeful we were going to find something. She was never well enough to do anything fun. Olivia and I used to talk about doing a spa weekend, because she loved massages, nails and all the girly stuff. It makes me happy that I’m able to help another family do something fun that their child who’s battling feels good enough to do. We were able to help make that wish come true for him. I think it’s bittersweet."

Shelley said she sees Olivia in Aiden and a lot of other Olivia Hope Heroes because they're all "young kids who are dealing with this crazy, horrific diagnosis."

"Some of them just sail through treatment. My daughter, she never complained. She could not swallow for three weeks; even her own saliva, because the chemotherapy burned her esophagus so badly that she had to use something that sucked the saliva out of her mouth. Stuff like that. And she never, ever once said, 'Why me?' or 'This is not fair.' Nothing like that. Nothing. I feel like when I see some of these kids, they’re the same way. They become these powerhouses almost. I’m sure that they’re scared, but they end up being these super humans. And then you have adults who have cancer or anything and they’re completely different."

Gia, only a few years older than Olivia, recalls watching her sister go through treatments at the age of 11. Aiden reminded her of that, and bringing joy to him helps bring her comfort.

"We always say it, my mom and I, helping others helps us heal," she said. "To be able to help someone by giving them financial support or bringing them to New York City to play their favorite game and go to a festival. It’s crazy that we can put a smile on someone else’s face just by helping. It’s great healing, but at the same time, you really feel and sympathize for these kids. At the end of the day, I’ve met a lot of people through my foundation who have passed away. It hurts, but you know you made some sort of a difference in their lives."

Making the lives of childhood cancer patients better is Gia's way of honoring Olivia. She noted the program's name, Olivia Hope Heroes.

"It is her heroes. It is people who are sick. That’s who she would look up to and sympathize with. Olivia was in the hospital and she was wanting to give the gift cards people gave her to other kids fighting. She actually started it herself by wanting to give to others, so we just kind of continued on with the program and named it after her, because that’s what she would be doing now if she was here."

Meg said the Olivia Hope Foundation has provided relief for her family.

"People are like, 'How do you do it?' I always say, 'What choice do I have?' I don’t really have a choice. I don’t," Meg said. "These organizations help relieve and alleviate a lot of that stress that comes with a diagnosis like this for the parents, as well as give the child hope and the will to keep fighting. That people actually care about them and their family who don’t even know them."

The mother said that not only did her son get to have a great time in New York accomplishing a dream, but she and Aiden's dad now have people they can go to for advice, support and encouragement.

"Especially, if the inevitable happens — which we’re hoping it’s not going to — they’ve been through that situation," Meg said. "They understand what we’re going to be going through, and having that type of resource is super important to us."

Shelley thanked her foundation's supporters and donors, saying they are the reason why the Olivia Hope Foundation can help others.

"People always say, 'Oh my gosh, it’s amazing what you’re doing!' But I really would not be able to do this without the help of our donors and supporters. It’s all of us together who were able to send this young, sweet boy to New York City so he could do the Pokémon Go Festival."

Gia echoed her mother's sentiment about the support the foundation gets.

"That will help us continue to share with other kids and help them get their dreams made before it’s too late, unfortunately," Gia said. "It’s really sad, but the more people who are aware, the better chance there is at some sort of change."

Meg shared the remaining 10 items on Aiden's bucket list:

1. Road trip to Florida with his mom, dad and a friend. Sightseeing along the way, going to Universal Studios, Sea World and going to Big League Card Shop and getting Pokémon cards.
2. Family trip to California, going to Nintendo World at Universal Studios and maybe Disneyland.
3. A day with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
4. Titanic Hippomelon Plush from Pet Simulator—there’s only nine left in existence.
5. 200k Robucks for his Roblox game.
6. Case of Obsidian Flames Booster boxes from Pokémon.
7. To complete his video game collection: Pokémon Game Boy Color Orange, Super Nintendo, PlayStation 5.
8. To meet his favorite YouTubers: KreekCraft, Pokerev and Leonhart.
9. Meet his favorite WWE wrestlers with his family and spend a day with them.
10. To have most of his Amazon wishlist purchased, as those are the things he wants very badly.

The Olivia Hope Foundation, having more than 76K Instagram followers, hopes that someone will see Aiden's bucket list and find themselves in a position to help.

"We have a lot of followers, and you never know who could say, 'My cousin knows that guy!'" Shelley said. "I definitely hope to help him check off the other stuff remaining for sure."