It was quite a day in Belleville, Illinois, as we hosted an amazing cornhole event and supported another family! Ten-year-old Mason Venegoni, a young goalie, recently underwent surgery to remove a brain tumor. The procedure was tough but successful, and this brave goaltender is now on the road to recovery. Now for the “no coincidences” moment—former St. Louis Blues enforcer Reed Low, who’s been a big part of our cause for a couple of years, wore number 34 during his playing days. Today, he wowed the family by giving Mason a signed goalie stick and promising to take him to a Blues game. I then asked Mason how many stitches he had. His reply? “34.” Of course it was!
A Series of Unfortunate Events
Mason, a 10U goalie for the Meramec Sharks Hockey Club, was recently diagnosed with a rare brain tumor. During summer hockey camp, he was accidentally hit in the head with a baseball bat while playing with friends. A precautionary CT scan at the ER, after getting staples, revealed the tumor. Just six days later, Mason had surgery to remove it, and he’s now recovering. The tumor, a Grade 1 Dysembryoplastic Neuroepithelial Tumor (DNET), is rare—accounting for only 1–2% of all brain tumors—and is curable with surgery. Mason’s father, who serves in the military, had been deployed before this news and will be returning overseas, while his mother will not be working for an unknown period. Dawg Nation is rallying to support the Taylor family, and any generosity will make a meaningful difference during this challenging time.
