Maeve’s Fight: A Life of Love, Community, and Courage

By: Ken Davis, Maeve’s Pop-Pop

There are some dates and times that are forever etched in our minds. For my family, one such day is November 11, 2023.

It started as a crisp, beautiful, blue sky, fall day. I was done with the last yard trimming of the season, and by 5:15 PM, I had the fire pit set up, ready for a bonfire. But that bonfire never happened.

At 5:30 PM, my daughter, Emma, called. She and Adam were taking Maeve, then three years old, to the hospital because her stomach hurt, and they needed us to watch her baby sister, Remi.

A couple of hours later, at 8:01 PM, Emma called again. A CT scan showed a large mass above Maeve’s kidney. They were being transferred to Sinai Hospital’s Samuelson Pediatric Oncology Unit.

In an instant, our lives changed forever.

The Reality of Neuroblastoma

In the U.S., approximately 15,000 children are diagnosed with cancer every year. Those parents hear the words, “Your child has cancer,” and as their hearts break, the real battle begins. Out of that 15,000, only a small fraction—700 to 800 children—are diagnosed with neuroblastoma.

My granddaughter, Maeve, was diagnosed that night with Stage 4, High Risk, Neuroblastoma Cancer.

Maeve was just like most 3- and 4-year-old little girls—full of discovery. She loved her mommy, daddy, and especially her “Baby Sister,” Remi. They stayed at Sinai Hospital’s Samuelson Pediatric Oncology Unit for 35 straight days while Maeve started chemotherapy. Maeve would go on to spend over 150-170 days in hospitals during her 14 month battle.

Throughout her journey, Maeve was a true reflection of the love and strength of Emma and Adam. She was a fighter who, 99% of the time, had a smile on her face. During the tough times, she would recite her mantra: “I am brave! I am strong! I can do hard things!”

A Fight Fueled by Love

Maeve’s fight was relentless. She endured a lot of chemotherapy, radiation, immunotherapy, two bone marrow transplants, and highly invasive surgery. Emma and Adam lived every moment by her side, surviving on pure adrenaline and love, learning more about pediatric cancer than they ever imagined.

But pediatric cancer is a cruel opponent. Maeve fought Stage 4, High Risk, Neuroblastoma Cancer, which is very rare, for 14 months.

Emma and Adam had to make the agonizing decision to stop painful treatments. A few days later, Maeve was given only 1–2 days to live. Her entire family was able to spend those last, precious moments with her.

Maeve passed away peacefully at 7:02 AM on January 22, 2025, in the arms of Emma, Adam, and Remi. Heaven gained an angel that day, her mission here on Earth complete.

In Closing: A Complete Life

Losing Maeve was a tragedy that changes a life in an instant and forever. But one thought has helped me through much of this: “In the eyes of God, every life is a complete life.” The real tragedy would have been to never have had our beautiful Maeve in our lives.

The “I love you” hand sign you see on almost all Brave Maeve “stuff” was her sign—one she gave constantly, through all of the treatments. Even now, when I talk to her, she is still doing that sign.

Kids Helping Kids: Maeve’s Mission Continues

Even in our loss, the fight for other children must continue. That’s why I am put on the Brave Maeve Cancer Crush Kids Helping Kids Fun Run/Walk.

This event benefited the charities and organizations that were critical in Maeve’s cancer care. Our goal is twofold: to generate essential funds and to raise awareness of childhood cancer year-round, not just during the month of September.

The idea for this event came to me a few months ago during one of my long Sunday bike rides through the Loch Raven Watershed, where I often feel Maeve and God’s presence most strongly. It struck me that while most road running races focus primarily on adults, we should shift the dynamic and make it about the kids.

They are the ones we will one day be counting on to cure cancer—to become the pediatric oncology nurses, doctors, surgeons, and researchers. They will be the ones to help a child ring the bell, or sadly, to hold a family’s hand when the fight is over.

This event was designed to contact as many children, families, and schools as possible, uniting them under one cause: “Kids Helping Kids!”

I envision children running with classmates, siblings, friends, parents, and grandparents. This event is a run/walk, not really a race, and the potential impact is incredible. By doing this, we not only help keep Maeve’s legacy alive but also give hope to other children and families literally fighting for their lives.

All run participants received a t-shirt featuring line art of the “Brave Maeve Cancer Crush” cup art on the front, with the motto “Kids Helping Kids…” below it. The back featured the “More $ For Kids Cancer” cup art, along with corporate and business sponsors.

To help support Brave Maeve Cancer Crush, please go to: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1142139700096660/posts/brave-maeve-cancer-crush-event-for-kids/1665584621085496/.