Brokers Who Care voted and we are pleased to announce that we will be sending a cheque in the amount of $10,000 to Sarah & Ayden Hubbs, our Western Recipient of the 3rd Quarter 2023 vote.

Thank you to McKay Wood for bringing this Cause to our attention.

The Nomination Story:

Last September as the Hubbs family settled into a new school year, they were filled with anticipation and excitement. Brielle was starting grade 4, Aubrey was embarking on her kindergarten journey, and Ayden was preparing for daycare as Sarah prepared for her full return to work. September brought a sense of renewal and the promise of new beginnings. However, their joy was abruptly shattered in October when the family received not just one, but two devastating cancer diagnoses.

Sarah was diagnosed with Metastatic Papillary thyroid cancer after months of fatigue and finding a swollen lymph node in her neck. And then, the unimaginable happened. An ultrasound for a mass Sarah gel in Ayden's belly revealed a massive 15cm tumour. The imaging was so concerning that Ayden had to be admitted to Victoria General Hospital for an urgent MRI. Due to his young age, sedation and intubation were necessary for the test. Tragically, Ayden experienced a rare complication during intubation, leading to an immediate transfer to the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit for critical respiratory support without completion of the MRI. While on the ventilator Ayden developed pneumonia and out of concern for his airway, he was kept in an induced coma on a ventilator while awaiting specialized air transport to BC Children's hospital in Vancouver. At Children's Hospital he could safely have the MRI and then be taken off the ventilator. In a matter of days, Ayden went from being a happy 16-month-old beach-loving baby, throwing rocks by the shore, to being in an induced coma on a ventilator. The suddenness of this, compounded by Sarah’s diagnosis left the family stunned and overwhelmed, engulfed in a cloud of uncertainty and fear.

After nine long days in the PICU, Ayden was stable and transferred to the oncology unit where he was given his diagnosis: Stage 4 high risk Neuroblastoma with MYCN amplification and metastasis to his bone marrow. The tumour was wrapped around some major blood vessels and it wouldn’t be able to be surgically removed. But his expert team at BC Children’s hospital had an intensive 18 month treatment plan to give him the best possible chance at survival.

Ayden embarked on the first phase of his cancer treatment, which included five rounds of inpatient chemotherapy and a 9-hour abdominal surgery to reduce the size of the tumor and insert a new central line. In between Ayden's second and third rounds of chemotherapy, Sarah underwent a selective neck dissection to remove her thyroid and 45 lymph nodes. Her oncologist closely monitored her progress to ensure optimal timing for radiation therapy, taking into account Ayden's critical needs and preventing progression of her own cancer. The second phase of Ayden's treatment involved two gruelling rounds of high-dose chemotherapy with tandem stem cell transplants. These seven rounds of chemotherapy brought about nausea, vomiting, hair loss, mucositis, painful skin breakdown, drug-induced pustular psoriasis, a blood infection, a gastrointestinal bleed, permanent high-frequency hearing loss, and over 130 nights spent in the hospital and required 26 blood transfusions. Once Ayden recovered from these initial phases, he and his family traveled to Houston, Texas for 12 rounds of Proton radiation, a treatment recommended by his medical team but unavailable in Canada. The treatment in Houston went well, but unfortunately, Ayden fractured four bones in his foot, requiring him to be non-weight-bearing in a splint for three weeks.

Ayden has returned to BC Children's hospital for five rounds of inpatient immunotherapy and one round of outpatient immunotherapy. This final phase allows for shorter hospital stays, giving him more time to spend with his whole family at Ronald MacDonald House and at home. Sarah’s oncologist has advised her that now is the time to stop breastfeeding and complete her radiation therapy. This will require her to be away from Ayden for two to three weeks this fall. Jason, had no choice but to return to work recently so they can survive and will once again take a leave of absence to be the sole caregiver for Ayden during this time.

Despite the challenges they continue to face this fall, the Hubbs family holds onto hope and determination. They express gratitude for their temporary refuge at Ronald MacDonald House, but their hearts long for the New Year in hopes they can finally return to their beloved Victoria home. Previously, their household thrived on the combined efforts of two full incomes, but that is unlikely for several years to come. With a mortgage renewal looming next year in a very different climate than the last, they will need to figure out a way to catch up on bills and to somehow in the future replace their savings which has been drained to take care of everyone. They will also need to ensure that Ayden and his sisters receive the necessary support to heal from the immense stress they have endured.