Tim and Natalie Rogers were determined to start a family, but weren't able to conceive naturally. So they adopted a newborn daughter in 1989, and a 12 year-old boy from Russia in 2005.
In 2007, Tim and Natalie took guardianship of a neglected 2-year-old boy named Jaiden. Jaiden suffered from fetal alcohol syndrome and malnourishment.
During the first year he spent living with his adoptive parents, Jaiden would sneak into their bedroom at night, just to make sure they were still there. Absolutely heartbreaking.
But despite the fact Jaiden finally had a loving family to protect him, things were about to get even harder.
In 2013, Tim noticed a small lump on Jaiden's right thigh, just underneath his skin. Dermatologists said to keep an eye on it, but by 2016, the lump grew larger and began to spread. The hard bumps felt like "tapping on a countertop."
Jaiden began to lose mobility as the calcifications invaded his joints. The Rogers rushed him to the hospital for a biopsy, and the results left doctors absolutely stunned.
Jaiden was diagnosed with Stiff Skin Syndrome, a tissue disorder so rare that his case is only the 41st case to have ever been reported. There is no known cure.
The condition is aggressively and rapidly spreading to his hips, buttocks, arms, and spine — and doctors say Jaiden is "slowly turning into stone." He has begun chemotherapy and physical therapy to stretch his joints.
At the age of nine, Jaiden Rogers remains a survivor. Even through painful procedures, he smiles and jokes with his doctors and nurses.
Meet brave Jaiden and his family in the video below, and please SHARE his story with your friends on Facebook.
If you would like to learn more or help Jaiden and his family, visit his YouCaring profile.
