ORANGE : Out of the Hospital, Off to the Beach

Beaming and waving as friends, family members and hospital workers cheered, 5-year-old John Mash Jr. on Monday checked out of Children’s Hospital of Orange County, where he has spent months in an oncology intensive-care unit.

Surrounded by reporters and photographers, the youngster climbed into a white limousine hired to take him and his younger brother to the beach.

“It’s incredible. It’s just like bringing him home for the first time,” said his father, John Mash Sr.

In February, the Corona youngster was the first in Southern California to receive a new treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia, an often-fatal illness. Without the treatment, doctors would have given him less than a 20% chance of surviving, said Dr. Mitchell S. Cairo, the physician who directed the procedure.

As part of the treatment, he received stem cells from an unrelated infant’s umbilical cord in what doctors consider a promising alternative to bone marrow transplants. His chances for a complete recovery are as high as 60%.

“He’s in remission. Only time will tell if he’s completely cured,” his father said.

The young patient said the things he missed most during his hospital stay were spending time with his little brother, riding his bike and pizza. Before leaving the hospital, he was treated to a pepperoni pizza, along with lots of hugs from staff members.

John Mash Sr. said the family planned to celebrate his son’s release from the hospital by going to the beach and riding the ferry to Balboa Island. “He wants to walk in the sand again with his bare feet,” his father said.

After John Jr. climbed into the limo, he playfully peeped out from the sunroof to wave at the crowd, including his doctor.

“Having the fruits of your success go home happy and healthy with his family again, that’s the best part of my job,” Cairo said. “He’s done extremely well.”