WEST DES MOINES, Iowa — Health care workers are postponing scheduled surgeries for all types procedures, including childhood cancer treatment, due to the spread of COVID-19.
Kristin Geber says her daughter Alice was diagnosed with Stage 4 neuroblastoma five years ago at the age of 3.
But because of the spread of the coronavirus, not only is Alice at higher risk, but it's becoming harder for her to get treated.
And Geber wants people to know that it's imperative you follow social distancing guidelines.
"They really need to hear the warnings and the advice that's being put out there to social distance," Geber explained. "There are other kids, like Alice, that need care and we want to make sure that everybody gets what they need."
Alice was scheduled for a biopsy last week at the Mayo Clinic, but it was canceled because of COVID-19.
"It just feels a little bit more serious than what people are making it out to be."
Currently, Alice is being treated at a local hospital, but her mother says the care she needs is at the Mayo Clinic.
Kristin tells Local 5 the Mayo Clinic said it would be at least four weeks before they could reschedule.
"This is only a temporary pause in our outpatient clinical practice as a result of the current COVID-19 pandemic," Mayo Clinic said in a statement to Local 5.