The death of a child is an unimaginable tragedy, but the actions of Michael and Megan Bartley show how that tragedy can inspire people to make the world a better place.

The couple’s son, Aiden, would have turned 12 on Thursday, March 20. Instead, the family is marking six months since Aiden’s death from a form of pancreatic cancer that is only rarely found in children.

To honor Aiden’s memory, his parents are setting up the Aiden Bartley Foundation.

Aiden spent multiple years fighting cancer, and in that time he and his family traveled around the nation to get treatments. Because of how time-consuming and expensive such trips can be, his parents know the impossible choices some families have to make.

“No parent should ever have to decide whether to work to feed their child or to go to work and miss a chemo appointment,” Michael Bartley said. “The reality is that’s what a lot of people have to face. We had to face that ourselves. We had to fundraise wherever we could.”

To help alleviate that burden, the foundation will offer parents money to help with the expenses related to cancer treatment.

The family also plans to set up a scholarship at Butler Area School District and, eventually, contribute to pediatric cancer research.

“The goal is to set it up to last pretty much forever,” Michael Bartley said. “The other goals we want to achieve is to grow this enough, this is years down the road, but make donations to cancer research for kids, because there's not enough for kids.”

We hope the Aiden Bartley Foundation reaches its goal and that it inspires more people to fight like Aiden.

— JK