When 5-year-old Maci from Grafton, North Dakota, started having persistent stomach pain and losing her appetite, her parents knew something wasn’t right.
A visit to their local clinic confirmed their fears. A CT scan revealed a tumor in Maci’s abdomen, and within hours, she was on her way to Sanford Health in Fargo by ambulance.
“We knew something bad was going on,” said Amy, Maci’s mom. “It just all happened so terribly fast.”
Soon, Maci was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a childhood cancer that typically begins in the adrenal glands. What followed was a journey no family is ever prepared for.
Today, Maci and her family are sharing her story of courage and resilience to inspire support for the Sanford Roger Maris Cancer Center and raise awareness for the importance of cancer care close to home.
A Tough Road
Maci’s initial treatment included multiple rounds of chemotherapy, surgery to remove the tumor and a tandem stem cell transplant. Through every challenge, her parents watched their little girl fight with remarkable courage.
Dr. Kirk Wyatt, a pediatric hematologist-oncologist at the Sanford Roger Maris Cancer Center, remembers meeting Maci during some of her toughest days.
“The first time we met in the hospital, she was pretty sick,” he said. “The cancer had really worn her down.”
When the cancer didn’t respond to treatment as hoped, Maci’s care team adjusted course, switching her treatment plan to a combination of chemotherapy and immunotherapy. Today, she continues to receive immunotherapy at Roger Maris.
Despite everything she’s endured, one thing has remained constant.
“Maci and her family just have this spirit of positivity,” said Dr. Wyatt.
Scott sees it, too.
“Maci has a way of enjoying the bright spot of right now,” he said. “One day, her teacher mentioned she wasn’t sure how often Maci would be able to be at school. Maci simply said, ‘Well, at least I’m here today.’”
The Power of Generosity
Cancer treatment can be overwhelming for anyone. For children, it can be especially frightening.
That’s why the child life program plays such an important role at the Sanford Roger Maris Cancer Center. Through education, play and emotional support, child life specialists help children navigate treatment in ways that feel less overwhelming and more manageable.
“Sometimes Maci will tell us, ‘I wish I didn’t have to go,’ but she doesn’t fight it,” said Amy. “Child life plays a huge part in her enthusiasm to come here.”
Supported through philanthropy, child life specialists help children understand procedures, cope with anxiety and find moments of comfort, distraction and joy throughout treatment.
For Maci, those moments mattered.
“When Maci began immunotherapy, we decided to start planning special days for her,” said Wendy Iwerks, child life specialist. “Our valet team said Maci went from very slowly coming through the doors to skipping to come see us.”
Whether through activities, crafts, toys or simply a familiar face, child life helps transform treatment days into something a little less scary.
“Seeing your child suffer is hard,” Amy said. “(The child life team) just make a day here so much easier.”
Beyond child life, Scott witnessed how philanthropy makes a difference for kids at Roger Maris in large and small ways every day.
“The funding for the playroom, Cully’s Cottage, as well as the crafts, the toy cabinet, it all comes from donations,” he said. “Those things may seem small, but they mean a lot to a child going through treatment.”
Dr. Wyatt also sees the impact of generosity every day.
“We literally could not do what we do without child life,” he said. “That’s a service we simply would not be able to offer without philanthropy.”
For Wendy, donor support helps create an environment where children can simply be kids.
“Having those dollars and those funds, it makes Roger Maris a special place to be,” she said. “The impact it has is pretty incredible.”
Cancer Care Close to Home
Each year, more than 600 patients walk through the doors of the Sanford Roger Maris Cancer Center. For children facing cancer, having specialized care close to home is essential.
Maci and her family travel two hours each way from Grafton to Fargo for treatment.
“Cancer centers, particularly in pediatrics, are few and far between,” said Dr. Wyatt. “Having the Roger Maris Cancer Center here in Fargo is vital because if we did not exist, children like Maci would not be able to get cancer treatment in the state.”
For families traveling long distances for treatment, support extends far beyond medicine. Philanthropy helps fund programs and services that ease the financial, emotional and practical burdens that often come with a cancer diagnosis.
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The care at Roger Maris has been everything you could want. I don’t know if I can praise them enough. They’re amazing.
Maci’s Dad
Looking Ahead
Today, 8-year-old Maci continues her cancer journey surrounded by her family and a care team that believes in her every step of the way. While she is still receiving ongoing immunotherapy, she continues to face each day with courage and resilience.
Inspired by the nurses, child life specialists and caregivers who have made such a difference in her life, she’s thinking about how she might help others one day.
“She already dreams of becoming a nurse or a child life specialist,” Amy said. “I’d love to see her reach some of those dreams.”
For Wendy, stories like Maci’s are a powerful reminder of what donor support makes possible.
“It may seem like a little thing, but at the end of the day for these families, it’s a huge game changer,” she said. “Every dollar matters.”
Give for Hope.
Because of compassionate caregivers and generous donors, Maci and her family have never walked this journey alone. Every gift helps people of all ages facing cancer find comfort, support and reasons to smile, even on the hardest days.
100% of every dollar is maximized to its fullest potential — to help kids like Maci reach theirs.