You lose, cancer: Tot 'Valiant Vito' finally goes home after beating the disease
"Hey cancer, Vito won."
After more than 6 months in the Children's Hospital of Minnesota, Victor Skaro – the Waconia tot who fought his cancer as "Valiant Vito" while wearing a superhero cape – can finally go home.
His parents made the announcement his Facebook page this past week, coming two months after Vito was declared tumor free after a successful operation removing a medulloblastoma from his brain.
"Seven months ago today, they said Vito had cancer. 6 rounds of chemo, 188 inpatient hospital days, 2 bouts of sepsis, a never ending C-Diff, RSV, 2 neurosurgeries, 2 craniotomies, posterior fossa syndrome," his mother Nicole wrote on Facebook. "Hey Cancer, Vito Won. In 6 months you are TOTALLY DONE!!!!!"
Nicole Skaro told Today.com that Vito will need six months of "maintenance chemo" and physical therapy, but the worst appears to be over for the 18-month-old.
Vito hit the headlines and broke hearts across the country in December when he was pictured spending Christmas on the ward at the hospital wearing a Superman cape and holding a sign saying: "All I want for Christmas is to be cancer free."
His mother paid tribute to the staff at the hospital, saying leaving the ward is "bittersweet" as they say goodbye to nurses, doctors, social workers and others who have "become family" and "helped us through some truly, truly dark times."
A fund-raiser to help the Skaro family with Vito's medical bills will be held at the Waconia Ice Arena, at 1250 Oak Ave. from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. on April 11.
You can also donate via the Valiant Vito GoFundMe page, which has so far raised more tan $11,000 for the family.