Today we are proud to announce “Kate’s Great Big Cause”, a private foundation formed in memory of our incredible daughter, Kate, who succumbed to Neuroblastoma on October 21st, 2022. Kate, surrounded by her family and friends, took her final breaths in the arms of her fathers. After battling cancer for nearly four years, Kate’s physical journey on this Earth has ended, but it is our hope that through these efforts, Kate’s memory will live on in the comfort and healing her Great Big Cause will bring to so many.

Through the generosity of donors like you, we hope to impact the lives of pediatric cancer patients via activism and philanthropy on several fronts, including:

Donations to cutting-edge cancer treatment trials and studies
Financial assistance for families facing out-of-pocket costs associated with treatment
Support services for the siblings of pediatric oncology patients (both surviving and deceased), including mental health support, and scholarships

We have lost our daughter, but we will not lose hope. We may have lost this fight, but together we will win the war.

Kate’s Story:

Kate and her siblings had a difficult start in life. At 6 months old, Kate was removed from an unstable home and subsequently placed in several different foster homes with her siblings before finding permanence with Matt & Jeremy in July of 2017. With adoption looming in the winter of 2018, Kate developed a long-running fever and persistent leg pain. Dismissed several times as seasonal flu or a common bug, it was merely by chance that Kate was finally diagnosed with stage IV Neuroblastoma on December 11^th, 2018, just two days before adoption day.

What was a beautiful and joyous adoption also became a rallying point for family and friends. Adoption was finalized in the hospital rather than in a courtroom and with a mixture of sad tears rather than purely happy ones.

Kate’s journey was arduous—an emotional rollercoaster of operations, scans, procedures, and treatments. Kate achieved remission twice, and our hopes were shattered twice as subsequent scans revealed the cancer’s return. The second relapse proved to be the final hurdle--the one we could not overcome. Despite several treatments and trials, we could not beat the cancer back.

Our Kate the Great was enrolled in hospice care on October 19^th, 2022, and passed peacefully on October 21^stsurrounded by love from all over the world. We know that Kate’s beautiful light will long outlive her, and we hope that, through this foundation, we can help her to know the dramatic impact her journey will have on other children who are facing a similar battle.

Kate's Great Big Cause

By Matt Maletich

Kate's Great Big Cause

Help us to support families, make a difference, and find a cure.

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