Despite COVID-19, hospital workers give 6-year-old who finished cancer treatment a proper sendoff

PHOENIX - Workers at one Valley hospital made sure they gave a six-year-old the proper sendoff Thursday, despite the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to a statement released by officials with Cardon Children's Medical Center, Mason Ball has been battling leukemia since being diagnosed on the week of Christmas in 2016.

Three years later, officials say Mason has finally finished his final chemotherapy treatment.

Hospital officials say the traditional gong-sounding ceremonies that mark the end of cancer treatment has been postponed in most cases due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but in the case of Mason, hospital workers made an exception because the family is moving out of state in just a few days.

In a video shared to Facebook by the family, hospital workers gathered around the gong as Mason walked in, and rang the gong.

Officials, citing Mason's mother, say Mason often asked when he will get a chance to ring the gong whenever he was admitted to Cardon Children's Medical Center, and the family though they wouldn't have the chance to do so prior to moving out of state.