Kylie's Kids: Berkley & Her Physical Therapist
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- With such great hospitals here in Minnesota, it's not very often kids have to go out of state for treatment. When they do, it not only takes them away from family and friends, but their favorites at the hospital, too.
For Berkley, this week's Kylie's Kid, even being away for a few days from her favorite physical therapist, Jeff Mason, can be a little rough.
This might look like fun and games, but Mason is Berkley's Physical Therapist at Children's Hospital and Clinics of Minnesota.
"We did get in trouble a couple of times," Mason said. "Got into all sorts of trouble coloring on windows and trying to get away from the nurses."
It didn't take long for these partners in crime to become good friends.
"One of the things she really loves is Hello Kitty,' Mason said.
"It's a relief that she has that comfort with him," Kandace Damhof, Berkley's mom, said. "Because I know that he can brighten her day."
Berkley is fighting an aggressive form of cancer: Stage 4, high risk neuroblastoma.
After she was diagnosed in 2014, her family traveled to New York for surgery.
"Being her tumor was where it was they didn't want to touch her here," Kandace said.
Berkley needed an 11-hour surgery.
"She did really well through surgery," Kandace said.
However, she went into cardiac arrest after surgery, which turned a short visit into a month and a half.
Berkley's now back home using a new therapy to fight her cancer and even a day or two without Mason can be rough.
"Usually, I'll hear about it if I don't come in one day," Mason said.
So this winter when Jeff knew he'd be gone for a couple days, he decided to surprise her.
"I jumped from the path that's down in the snow out into the middle," Mason said.
He stomped out Hello Kitty on the snow for Berkley to find the next morning.
"I had a picture up on my phone so I knew what it looked like," Mason said. "I tried to do it with my boots."
"She was so surprised, it was such a great day," Kandace said. "She loved it."
Berkley has her next round of scans in June to find out if her latest therapy is working.