FALLS CHURCH, Va. — No child wants to be in a hospital, but if you ask Mason Ryan's family, they'll tell you that even the darkest days can hold light.

Mason first arrived at Inova Children’s Hospital when he was just 6 months old. He had Down syndrome and blood cancer—a diagnosis his parents, Mitchell and Kim Ryan, never expected.

“You don’t want to see anyone go through cancer,” Kim said. “But when you see kids go through it, that’s tough to watch.”

It was made easier by someone the Ryans will never forget: Holly Senn, a child life specialist at Inova.

“She just exudes love,” Mitchell said. “Even though he probably doesn’t remember, there’s a connection there that they both still feel.”

When Mason’s treatment ended, the family’s relationship with the hospital didn’t. Inspired by the

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