Twice a cancer survivor, Southern Indiana teen getting his start in health care
Jul. 29—SOUTHERN INDIANA — A Sellersburg teen who beat cancer twice is getting a head start on a career in health care, all before he graduates from high school.
Aiden Johnson starts his senior year of high school this week. He's a drum major for Silver Creek High School's marching band, a certified nursing assistant and still loves his LEGOs.
The namesake for Aiden's Legacy, part of the Norton Children's Hospital Foundation, has spent almost a decade helping out families with pediatric cancer patients.
"Aiden's Legacy started during my second round of cancer, when my dad was bringing in LEGOS," Aiden said about the organization that launched in 2013. "The other kids, it brightened up their day seeing all the other LEGOS, so I was just like, why not just go ahead and give them to them."
The two-time leukemia survivor said he built LEGO structures to pass the time while receiving treatment at Norton Children's Hospital. He wanted other kids to have something to distract them as well.
His mom, Gena Johnson, contacted the Norton Children's Hospital Foundation and the rest is history.
"It started with us just giving (LEGO) sets, but now it's evolved into fundraisers giving money," Aiden said. "To this day, we have raised $450,000 to Norton Children's Hospital."
The aid doesn't stop there either. Aiden's Legacy is pledging additional funds to bring a therapy dog to the pediatric cancer floor at the hospital.
Aiden is working to give back too. He recently completed his training to become a certified nursing assistant through a program at Prosser Career Education Center in New Albany.
"A CNA is the first step (to my career) because I want to go into nursing, I decided to knock that out of the park while I could," Aiden said. "My goal is to become a nurse at Norton's, the end goal is definitely Norton's. Right now, I'm debating between a pediatric nurse or oncology nurse."
His mother said she's very proud of Aiden's decision to pursue a career in health care after all he's been through.
"With all of his challenges, the fact he still wants to be involved in the place that has caused him pain and caused him anxiety with all the ugliness surrounding his medical treatment, yet the positives because we still have him, for him to give back and support the facility that saved not once but twice, I as a parent am very proud of him," Gena Johnson said.
For the Johnson family, Aiden's legacy is a team effort and how they spend time together.
"When we volunteer and do stuff with Norton, that's our family time, we really make sure we are in together," Gena said. "We remember back when we were in all of (the treatment). We were so limited in what we could do...we are proud to help."
Frances Price, an oncology patient navigator with Norton's, has been along with Aiden and Gena on his journey.
She met Aiden in 2007 when he was diagnosed with cancer for the first time. She helped educate the family and was with the family throughout the treatment.
"I just think it's remarkable that Aiden, who is a two-time cancer survivor who hated needle sticks, hated getting his port accessed and getting labs drawn, he went through his treatment and here he is coming back," Price said. "And he's facing his worst fears he had during treatment head on and wants to make something positive out of it. I think it's just remarkable."
She said she remembers Aiden's aunts joining him for treatment at the time and said it was unique to see external family members coming to appointments.
"Go for it, Aiden, reach for the stars," Price said. "I knew he could do it, he's done so much already...we are all so proud of you."
