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Springfield resident Mason Ryan is marking 10 years in remission with a major fundraising push to help local children with cancer and their families.
Mason was diagnosed with Myelodysplastic Syndrome, a rare blood cancer, when he was 15 months old. He spent six months receiving inpatient chemotherapy at Inova Fairfax Hospital.
His parents, Mitchell and Kim Ryan, later founded the Boldly Gold Foundation to provide physical, emotional and financial assistance to families navigating childhood cancer. Since 2016, the organization has donated more than $53,000 in support of those families.
The foundation hopes to raise $100,000 for the Inova Health Foundation in 2025. Its centerpiece event, the eighth annual See Mason Run 5K, is scheduled for 9 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 13, at Laurel Hill Park, 8780 Lorton Road in Lorton.
A KidsFest and silent auction are also planned for race day.
Additional fundraising efforts include community events and the Be a Champion peer-to-peer campaign. Organizers aim to recruit 25 people who will each raise $1,000, along with groups that commit to raising $5,000 apiece.
More than 15,700 children are diagnosed with cancer each year. Beyond the physical and emotional toll, affected families can face medical bills and lost wages while caring for a child. The foundation’s campaign seeks to ease those pressures through direct local support.