Music Fest Speech

Here is the speech I shared with those present during Maya's wish presentation:

When Maya was born, we were in awe of her beautiful spirit and amazing ability to give love to those around her. Robbie and I both felt that she had come to this earth to spread light and love in a world often filled with darkness. Over the past four years, we have seen her open people’s hearts and brighten their days, whether she knew them or not. Those who know Maya know how much she loves to smile, how she expresses her love for others as she feels it and just how much she hates to say good-bye. She gives many impromptu hugs and loves to initiate games with those around her. Some of her favourite games include tag, saving worms on a rainy day, looking for crabs at the beach and taking care of her stuffed bear, Kayla. Wise beyond her years, her understanding of the world has both surprised and inspired us.

This past November, we took her to the optometrist because of a white spot that sometimes appeared in her right eye. After being referred to Hôtel-Dieu Hospital in Sherbrooke and then Sainte-Justine Hospital in Montreal, we were told that she had retinoblastoma, a cancerous tumour in her retina. Due to the location of the tumor and the high risk for spreading, she had surgery to have her eye removed 6 days later. Maya showed incredible strength during those first two weeks and the months that followed. We saw her fighting spirit and although that made it difficult for us as parents at times, it made us proud to see that she never backed down from a fight. Fortunately for us, removing her eye was her cure. There was never any need for chemotherapy.

After we received the diagnosis, Robbie and I made a choice. Although the sadness and grief we were feeling in that moment were excruciating, we chose to live this journey with acceptance and fill our hearts with love and light as opposed to anger and fear. We did not search the why of things but simply lived each day one moment at a time.

When this all started, there was an energy that built up inside of me that compelled me to share our story with those around us. I wrote my thoughts and feelings down after every experience, appointment and emotion. Thanks to Facebook, where I posted my writings, something amazing happened. People read what I had to say and responded in ways we never imagined. They, as well as many others we didn’t even know, shared their stories, talked about how our story impacted their lives and sent us messages of strength and love. They prayed for us, meditated and lit candles representing Maya’s light in the world. In those most difficult moments when we felt weak, we leaned on the love that people were sending our way to get us through.

Maya is doing really well. She had an M.R.I. this past Monday and everything was perfect. She is monitored every three months and in between appointments all is forgotten! She has not let any of this slow her down. Spring has brought back her love of biking and the thought of summer has her anxiously awaiting for our yearly trip to the beach, swimming and going for boat rides on the river. She’s also hoping to catch a really big fish!

Never in a million years would Robbie and I have chosen for our daughter to go through this experience, but she did. As difficult as it was, a lot of good came out of it. We saw what incredible families we come from. Their love and support during this time brought us all even closer together. So much quality time was spent with them and they helped us process, live and get through every step. Our friends and community rallied to our side, providing us with places to stay in Montreal, homemade meals and, most importantly, they were just there for us. Our minister and the people of our church were also with us every step of the way.

We met so many new and amazing people who took care of Maya as if she were the only child in the world: the young optometrist who followed her gut instinct and insisted that Maya be seen by an ophthalmologist the following day, the doctors and nursing staff who lovingly showed us that our medical system does work once you’re in it, and the ocularists who made her new eye with so much care and dedication to their craft. We saw and met amazing children in the oncology department whose bald heads and smiles told the story of how they are able to live their lives in happiness while fighting cancer.

We saw firsthand the importance of volunteers who make it possible for sick kids to experience many special moments during their difficult times, from a little finger puppet to put on a pricked finger, to Leucan who organizes fun activities for the families of cancer kids to participate in — and now this weekend. When Chrissie approached us about the possibility of sponsoring Maya’s wish, we were, to say the least, surprised and very much excited. We never would have expected our daughter to be given such a wonderful gift. Being a part of this weekend has allowed us to see, yet again, how many wonderful people have volunteered their time to help make our daughter’s wish come true. Peter and Chrissie, thank you. You are truly an inspiration and we are proud to call you family. Marcia, Garth, Jackson, Alexandria, Kimberly, Patrick and William thank you for sharing this incredible weekend with us. Thank you to everyone for being here today and supporting this amazing cause. Your generosity and your presence here have helped brighten the lives of two amazing kids.

Throughout our whole experience from the diagnosis to having her prosthetic eye made, Maya taught us something very important. She showed us how to live in the present moment. She taught us how to be in the now, to put the past behind us and not worry about the future. It was in the little things that she taught us this lesson: the quick return of her smile after a difficult procedure, being pleased as punch after her surgery because she could eat all the popsicles she wanted, and wanting to just play. She often put us in check, asking us not to talk about things that were over with. This is why our focus here today was not to talk about the details of her medical journey but instead describe the good that came out of our journey and the hundreds of hearts that Maya opened by just being her. Maya and Ella, we love you more than words can express.  Maya, we are so proud of who you are and how beautifully you live life. May your light continue to shine brightly through all you do.