Kids receiving care at the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance are getting a boost of super powers.
Through the Fight Like Mason Foundation, in honour of Mason Bacon-Macri who succumbed to a rare childhood cancer in 2016 when he was just four years old, a number of ‘Mason Power Poles” have been donated to the paediatric unit.
The specialized IV poles are customized with bright colours, smooth rolling wheels, and topped with fun logos, including a fire truck, Batman symbol, a princess crown, among others.
Mason’s dad Iain Macri says it’s about taking power away from the illness.
“We made him feel proud of his battle and we wanted to echo that to all the other kids that are affected by any illness,” Macri says. “I think him having his poles all over means he has friends all over the world. They’re all over our community and I think he would smile, looking down on these kids, to give them a thumbs up and say be proud of your battle.”
Chantelle Bacon, Mason’s mom, says each customized IV pole costs about $1200 to make, all of which is raised through donations and comes at no cost to the hospital.
“It’s a part of the kids, it’s their shadow, it’s what follows them throughout their journey no matter what it is, and we want to make sure that smile is on their face and they’re proud to hang on to this and be by their side not ashamed of something they can’t control.”
Bacon smiles when she speaks about Mason’s legacy.
“This is a way for us to watch him grow up even though we weren’t able to,” she says. “There was never a negative, it was never he was sick, it was just we have to defeat the villain.”
