Photo: Cook Children’s
One of the best ways to show our families how much we love them is by being their biggest cheerleaders.
As a father, Chuck Yielding understands the importance of being there for your family, especially when they’re at their most vulnerable. So when he and his wife, Lori, learned that only one parent can be with their teenage son during his chemotherapy treatment, they were distraught.
Because of COVID-19 protocols, the Cook Children’s Medical Center in Fort Worth, Texas, imposed a visitor restriction at the hospital. This is where the Yieldings’ 14-year-old son, Aiden, receives his chemotherapy treatment to fight acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL).
Aiden was diagnosed in May, and his family opted for treatment in the Fort Worth hospital through a clinical trial. The treatment program is called the Total 17 Protocol, which the teen receives through St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. He’s now in the maintenance phase, which requires weekly visits to Cook Children’s every Tuesday for up to two and a half years.
Since Lori works at the hospital as a nurse anesthetist, it only made sense for her to be the parent to accompany Aiden during his weekly chemo sessions, leaving Chuck out of the picture.
However, the devoted dad didn’t let this restriction keep him from being there for his son. Since he can’t be with Aiden, Chuck found the most adorable way to support him from afar.
Once Aiden goes in for his chemo, his dad would locate the nearest window to his room. Once he finds the perfect spot, Chuck would bust some moves at the parking lot while his son watches, hoping to send him some good vibes with his fun dance steps.
Whenever Aiden gets a break from treatment, it’s a signal for him to look outside the window and watch his dad become an on-the-spot dancer. Sometimes, he would even mirror his moves from three floors up!
By doing so, Chuck gets exactly what he wants – a smile from his beloved boy.
“It’s funny watching him figuring out all that he is going to do. Yup. It just cheers me up some times,” the teen told KTVT.
Chuck will do anything he can to support his son in his battle, even if it involves something as silly as dancing without music in a parking lot.
“The restrictions during the pandemic made me feel helpless. And the only way I knew to cope was to somehow be there during his treatments,” he told Checkup Newsroom. “When he was able to come to the window, it just came natural to me to wave and carry on, which turned into me dancing! I love knowing that it makes him giggle and smile, and let’s him know that his struggle is my struggle. I would never want him to think that he is going through this without his dad.”
On the other hand, Lori said she loves seeing this father-and-son duo’s weekly hospital routine.
“I absolutely love listening to his giggles & watching him belly laugh at Chuck’s fancy dance moves. He can be having a terrible day, which transfers towards us sometimes too, and it’s instantly better once he sees his dad shake his booty. Aiden’s smile is contagious and can light up a room, even behind his mask,” she said.
The Yieldings have created a Facebook group named “ALL in for Aiden,” where they update followers about Aiden’s cancer journey. The group has more than 900 members to date.
Chuck and Lori have plans to hold a blood drive on Saturday, Oct. 3, in Fort Worth. Those interested may sign up here.
Watch the video below to learn more about this story.
So when you find a man dancing in the Cook Children’s parking lot on a Tuesday, the best thing you can do is to cheer him on!</st