Mason Mazzuca and Sully Shields met in the waiting room of the Oncology Clinic at Children's National in 2016. Mason was five and battling T Cell ALL. Sully was seven and battling Stage IV Neuroblastoma. Having community is so important in the hospital and knowing Keli and Mason made the impossible a bit easier. 

Mason's life was stolen by cancer in March 2018 after he relapsed. When Keli started MasonStrong Village in memory of Mason, Sully was all in. Nothing made Sully happier than running around the oncology floor spreading joy to others. 

In 2019 we met "Smiley Riley" Whitney who was fighting the same type of cancer as Sully. Riley was five and just starting treatment. Sully was ten and just finishing his. The two became fast friends and both beat Stage IV Neuroblastoma and remained No Evidence of Disease until 2023 when Sully was diagnosed with a secondary cancer, Stage IV Angiosarcoma, caused by his Neuroblastoma treatment. He passed away in September 2023. Cruelly, Riley's Neuroblastoma returned a few months later and he is back in treatment at Children's National. 

Like Mason and Sully, Riley always tries to find the joy. Most of the joy in the hospital comes from the psychosocial program on 4E. Many of you have asked how to help the Whitney family, and this is a perfect way to show up for them - join MasonStrong and Team Sully in support of the psychosocial program on 4 East. This team of child life specialists, art and music therapists, education specialists, and social workers care for the whole child during treatment. The services they provide are not covered by insurance companies. Yet, they are essential to providing families with the support, resources, and interventions to strengthen each family’s ability to cope with their child’s illness or medical needs. We want to ensure all kids get the support they need during treatment. 

 

We hope you will join us at the Race!  #forevermasonstrong #smilelikesully #smileyrileystrong #choosejoy #showup