Kaiden Abul-Ela

Meet Kaiden Abul-Ela. We've never met, but I've gotten to know him on the internet. I do know his great aunt who is a friend.

I bring him to your attention because I have followed this boy's fight against a rare form of brain cancer, Atypical Teratoid/Rhabdoid Tumor (AT/RT). He has endured surgery and treatment. He's a month shy of his second birthday.

Kaiden needs additional treatment. His parents are fighting to get that treatment. All of this comes to mind just a year after brain cancer claimed the life of Senator Ted Kennedy.

Fellow blogger and friend David Yonki, in his weekly feature "Write-On Wednesday" on the Lu-Lac Political Letter includes a Newsweek article penned by Kennedy after his diagnosis: "Last year, I was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor. Surgeons at Duke University Medical Center removed part of the tumor, and I had proton-beam radiation at Massachusetts General Hospital. I've undergone many rounds of chemotherapy and continue to receive treatment. I have enjoyed the best medical care money (and a good insurance policy) can buy. But quality care shouldn't depend on your financial resources, or the type of job you have, or the medical condition you face. Every American should be able to get the same treatment that U.S. senators are entitled to."

Kaiden's parents are now seeking the same proton-beam radiation afforded Kennedy for their little boy. It offers the best hope for minimizing long term damage. Doctors at Children's Hospital of Boston have said, "No."

Still his parents fight. Still doctors say no.

And somewhere Ted Kennedy is spinning in his grave.