McClellan Elementary students, staff celebrate kindergartner’s cancer victory
The celebration featured music performed by the Thomas Jefferson High School band and included cheering from the high school cheerleading and color guard squads.
By JOYCE HANZ
TribLive
A 5-year-old boy with a penchant for Spiderman is swinging back to school after a 16-month fight with cancer, and he’s got the support of an entire school district and community behind him.
To help celebrate the news of Mason Desiderio’s recent cancer-free diagnosis from his medical team at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, the Pleasant Hills boy received a superhero’s welcome Sept. 17, as cheerleaders, band and more than 300 students and faculty gathered to surprise him with a bell-ringing celebration at McClellan Elementary School.
The kindergartner sported a red t-shirt and accompanying superhero cape on Sept. 17.
His superhero outfit was emblazoned with “Beast Mode Mason” and “I Beat Cancer.”
Mason took in all the fanfare with smiles and a ringing of the bell, enjoying a rousing display of unity among his school community.
“He absolutely loved it. He felt like a superhero,” said Mason’s mother, Stefanie Desiderio of the event.
She created the homemade cape worn by Mason and said the news had been a long time coming.
The celebration featured music performed by the Thomas Jefferson High School band and included cheering from the high school cheerleading and color guard squads.
Mason walked through a student-lined path up to the school mascot, Jaguar, and was presented with a Spiderman figure and bell from principal Justin Liberatore.
“Mason! Mason! Mason! Let’s Go Mason!,” chanted the crowd of students and faculty.
Principal Liberatore noted September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and gold was the color worn by many to signify child cancer awareness.
“He beat cancer and that is an amazing thing,” Liberatore said. “This is a big deal today and we care for Mason. We’re here to lift Mason up. We’re so proud of him for beating cancer.”
Mason took it all in superhero stride.
“It felt good,” said Mason after he rang the bell.
The Desiderios embraced after the celebration, flanked by Mason’s two older brothers and friends, all wearing matching beast mode t-shirts.
Mason has an older-bythree- minutes twin brother named Easton and another brother, Luca, 6.
All three brothers attend McClellan Elementary.
Mason’s dad expressed relief and appreciation to the public for supporting the family of five.
“It’s been a rough 16 months but Mason handled it so great and he kept a smile on his face the whole time,” said Ryan Desiderio.
Mason was diagnosed last May with stage 3 high-risk neuroblastoma after a mass was discovered between his bladder and prostate.
Neuroblastoma is an aggressive and rare childhood cancer affecting nerve cells.
He successfully underwent 16 months of chemo, radiation and surgery and returned to school on Sept. 16.
“The support has been overwhelming. Strangers, friends and family came together to help us,” Ryan Desiderio said.
The celebrations were set to continue all week.
“The community of Pleasant Hills has overwhelmed us with support and kindness,” said Stefanie Desiderio of the random gifts left for Mason on the family’s front porch.
The family has lived in Pleasant Hills for four years.
“It’s been an emotional month after finding out everything was clear,” said Stefanie Desiderio. “We’re really excited to get him to be a kid again after suffering for 16 months. Thank you (community) for all the love and the prayers and for coming together to help Mason get through this.”
With his cancer treatments in the rearview mirror, Mason is looking forward to jumping on the trampoline, playing soccer and learning how to read and enjoying gym class.
