For Patriots lineman Nate Solder, his team’s first-ever Halloween party for kids with cancer at Gillette Stadium was more personal than professional.

Solder brought along his adorable 2-year-old son, Hudson, who was diagnosed with a rare kidney cancer — bilateral Wilms tumors — when he was 3 months old. The little boy is undergoing chemotherapy treatments.

“I’m just glad we get to have fun tonight,” Solder, who was diagnosed with testicular cancer himself three years ago, said yesterday. “This is such a special night. All these kids are here, all going through really difficult circumstances, but we all go through it together and we get to have some fun and be kids tonight.”

The towering Solder was the first player to arrive at the party, dressed up as Wizard Whitebeard from “Where’s Waldo.” Hudson dressed up as Waldo.

“I cry so much more now,” Solder said. “Everything’s so much more profound these days.”

More than 40 kids battling cancer, as well as their families, came to the party to decorate cookies and pumpkins and meet more than a dozen Patriot players.

Most of the players wore superhero costumes — a perfect choice — and graciously took selfies with the kids, signed autographs and mingled with their families. Rob Gronkowski was there too, dressed up like Frankenstein.

The pint-sized fans were thrilled and parents were happy to see their kids smile.

Logan Minassian, 10, was impressive dressed as Beatles drummer Ringo Starr. His mom made his elaborate costume, fastening drums crafted from cardboard to his wheelchair.

In February, doctors found a large cancerous tumor on Logan’s brain. He underwent surgery followed by radiation and chemotherapy treatments. During radiation, listening to Beatles music helped him relax. His favorite Beatles song, he told me, is “From Me to You.”

The mother and son spend a lot of time in the hospital. Yesterday was their first outing since his diagnosis. “I was really proud that he wanted to do it,” said his mother, Karen Gauvreau. “He wasn’t even going to dress up and he wasn’t going to do anything until we found out about this event.”

Ann and Michael Conforti sold their California home and moved to Quincy two years ago so their son Vincent, now 6, could get treatment for leukemia in Boston. His chemotherapy treatments end in December.

Michael lost his mother to cancer when he was 14 years old. “Then fast forward, my boy gets it,” Conforti said. “How we came here was really, really hard. We’re so thankful to Boston, for everyone that’s helped us out.”

Nathan Hecker, 9, who was diagnosed with a brain tumor five years ago, summed up the party best: “It was awesome!”