North County Times - Californian

A cheer for Aidan 

JOHN HUNNEMAN - hunneman@californian.com | Posted: Tuesday, August 18, 2009 6:15 pm 

In the next few weeks at high school stadiums and small fields across Southwest County, football players of all ages will take to the field, crashing through the large paper banners held up by their squad's cheerleaders made in a show of support and team spirit.

Aidan Inman, just 6, and his teammates play for the Charging Cubs, a flag football team in the Temecula Valley Pop Warner League.

"He was super excited to play flag football," said his mom, Jennifer. "He's been begging me to play."

Aidan's football season is on hold right now.

In mid-July, he was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a cancerous tumor that begins in the nerve tissue of infants and very young children, according to the Web site of the

University of Chicago children's hospital. About 650 children in the United States are diagnosed with the disease each year.

Aidan is currently undergoing treatment at Rady Children's Hospital San Diego.

"This is his first year with Temecula Pop Warner," said Pam Cioffi, whose son also plays in the league. "He was really looking forward to it."

Cioffi coaches the Mighty Grizzlies cheerleading squad, a group of girls that cheers on the league's older teams.

After hearing about Aidan and what he's been going through, the girls wanted to help, Cioffi said.

Recently, the squad made a large banner for Aidan and took it to the young player when he was home between treatments.

"He ran through the banner in the front yard," Jennifer Inman said. "They also gave him a football that he won't let go of."

On Sunday, the cheer squad descended on the Build-A-Bear Workshop at The Promenade mall in Temecula and stuffed animals to be delivered to patients at the San Diego hospital.

A special football bear was stuffed to be given to Aidan.

"We try to teach the girls how important it is to give something back to the community," Cioffi said.

All of this has meant a lot to the Inman family, who have had a tough time recently.

Her husband is an equipment salesman in Temecula who works on commission and things have been rough financially, Jennifer said.

In addition, Jennifer gave birth to a daughter the same day Aidan was diagnosed with his disease. And while that is a blessing, Jennifer is on disability following the birth ---- meaning not much money is coming in for the family.

Local nonprofit group Temecula Valley People Helping People has stepped up to give the family a hand. If you'd like to donate ---- gift cards are a good way to give, especially to help with bills and for gas to travel to San Diego ---- visit www.tvphp.org or call Denny Mighell at 951-757-5212. You can make check out to TVPHP and mail them to 40130 Holden Circle, Temecula, CA 92591 and remember to put Aidan Inman in the memo line. We will have PayPay of soon as well.

"We'd appreciate any good thoughts and prayers," Jennifer said Monday from the hospital in San Diego where her son had returned for treatment. "Aidan is a strong little guy. He's going to get through this."

And when he does, that will be something to cheer about.