The Maya Kim Fund

In Support of Neuroblastoma Research

We thank you from the bottom of our hearts for believing in Maya and all other neuroblastoma children.

Every single dollar raised goes directly to much needed neuroblastoma research at SickKids to improve survival rates, establish effective treatments and ultimately find a cure.

Donations by Mail:
Cheques payable to "SickKids Foundation"
Please quote the following "The Maya Kim Fund in Support of Neuroblastoma Research T8244"
Address: SickKids Foundation
525 University AVenue, 14th Floor
Toronto, ON M5G 2L3

Donation by phone: 416-813-6166 or 1-800-651-5825

To read more about Maya's journey through neuroblastoma visit www.mayakim.ca

This is Maya. She is 4 years old and she is battling Neuroblastoma-high risk, stage 4-. She is one tough little girl, who loves fairies, insects, snakes, art, dancing, and anything that involves laughing and loving life! She has become my little hero. Cancer picked the wrong child to mess with! I know she will win the battle! ... I love you baby ♥

(Photo by Kirby) - caption stolen from tia Jen

Most parents cannot imagine the pain and despair of having been told that your child has cancer. Unfortunately, we received these devastating news on March 25th 2010, our beautiful little 4 year old Maya was diagnosed with stage IV, high risk, Neuroblastoma. Neuroblastoma is a rare, aggressive and lethal cancer of the sympathetic nervous system.

Maya is being treated at Sick Kids Hospital in Toronto, and we are confident that there she is receiving the best treatment currently available. We are truly thankful for this. Our hope lies with them and God.

We wish we could tell you that there is an effective treatment for Neuroblastoma, the reality is that the cure rate is very low for advanced stage disease. Nearly 70% of those children first diagnosed with Neuroblastoma have disease that has already spread to other parts of the body. Almost half of the children that achieve remission will relapse. Because this is a rare disease (approximately 50 children in Canada and 650 in the U.S. are diagnosed every year) there is not enough money for research, and a lack of interest from the pharmaceutical giants as orphan diseases like neuroblastoma represents little or not profit. Note that in the last 48 years, the survival rate for kids with leukemia has increased from 10% to nearly 90%. Likewise, the survival rates for other cancers like breast cancer have also improved significantly thanks to extensiver research. So we and many other parents hope that our children's stories will inspire people to donate to much needed Neuroblastoma research to improve survival rates and establish effective treatments.

100% of your donations will go directly to Sick Kids to aid this cause . Children diagnosed with Neuroblastoma deserve better odds of survival. We hope that in the long run it will help save our daughter Maya and other children from this merciless disease.

Thanks from the bottom of our hearts.