Aaron Ruiz

Aaron is a 12-year-old boy from Ashe County, NC. He was diagnosed with Germinoma, which is a type of germ cell tumor commonly found in the brain.  He has recently completed radiation and chemotherapy at Brenner’s Children’s Hospital.

Aaron loves to play with his younger brother and his dog “Max.” He has a big heart and a contagious smile.

Wesley Adams

Westly Adams is a 5-year-old boy from Ashe County, NC. He was diagnosed on July 27, 2024, with ITP (Idiopathic Thrombocytopenia Purpura), a rare autoimmune disorder that causes individuals to have low platelet levels. Platelets are cell fragments found in the blood and normally help the blood clot. In people with ITP, the body produces antibodies that attack and destroy the platelets. Normal platelet levels are 150,000 – 400,000. When Westly was admitted in July to Brenner’s Children’s Hospital, his platelets were only at 27,000. At this time, the Adams family is taking Westly every two weeks for blood work. Doctors are hopeful that the ITP will correct itself within a year. His platelets are heading in the right direction with a count of 34,000 last week.

Westly is a fun-loving little boy who loves to play on his Nintendo Switch. He also loves to play soccer, but unfortunately, due to his diagnosis, he was unable to play this year. He loves the new movie Twister and talks about tornados all the time! He loves camping and spending time with his family.