Mary’s battle with cancer began long before her diagnosis. In January 2019, when she was just three years old, she developed a persistent fever. Soon after, one of her eyes turned inward. While a surgery to treat her frequent ear infections was performed, her eyes remained crossed. Glasses didn’t help, and after many months of searching for an answer, an eye specialist ordered an MRI in October 2020. The scan revealed a mass in her brain.
Mary and her family were sent to Children’s Hospital Colorado, where a biopsy confirmed the devastating diagnosis: a low-grade Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma. For nearly 40 months, Mary fought this horrific disease with incredible strength, enduring chemotherapy, radiation, and clinical trials—more than any child should have to face. On March 4, 2024, she passed away at home, held in the arms of her parents.
In her seven years, Mary was an inspiration to everyone around her. She lived more fully and experienced more joy than most people do in a lifetime. She never let her diagnosis define her, drawing strength from her faith and finding happiness in both the good times and the bad.
Mary loved her younger brother, animals, playing soccer, and was a Brownie Girl Scout. She found fun wherever she went, whether it was playing tricks on her doctors, giving gifts to others to cheer them up, or joyfully “running over” nurses in the halls with her toy car. Her laugh and infectious smile touched countless hearts.
