💜🎗️ A Drooping Eye Led to a Rare Diagnosis—Little Mary Kate’s Courage Touched Countless Hearts
What began as a small change in a baby girl’s eye became the start of a journey no family could have imagined.

For Mary Kate’s mother, January 18 is a date she will never forget.

While attending her son’s basketball game, her sister quietly pointed out something unusual.

“Mary Kate’s eye is drooping a little. Do you see that?”
In that instant, everything changed.

Born three weeks early, Mary Kate was the family’s fourth child and their first daughter. She arrived healthy, filling their home with joy from the very beginning.

She was calm, gentle, and always smiling—a little girl whose bright personality could light up any room.

At first, her parents believed she simply needed a nap. But when the drooping in her eye didn’t improve, they rushed her to the emergency room.

Doctors performed a series of examinations, but the answers did not come immediately. Over the following weeks, the family endured appointments, second opinions, and growing uncertainty as they searched for an explanation.

Then one morning, her symptoms suddenly worsened.

Mary Kate could barely open one eye, and the noticeable change prompted doctors to perform an MRI.

Initially, there was hope that the mᴀss might be a benign schwannoma. But that hope was short-lived.

A second MRI revealed devastating news.

The tumor had grown, and doctors also found involvement along her spine.

Mary Kate was diagnosed with Atypical Teratoid Rhabdoid Tumor (ATRT), a rare and highly aggressive cancer affecting the brain and spinal cord.

Despite the overwhelming diagnosis, her family leaned on their faith and focused on giving their little girl every possible chance.

Treatment began immediately.

Mary Kate underwent two rounds of chemotherapy close to home before traveling to UCSF for three rounds of high-dose chemotherapy combined with stem cell transplants.

Over the course of her courageous fight, she endured challenges that few adults could imagine.

She underwent three brain surgeries, 86 chemotherapy infusions, 25 sedations, 50 blood transfusions, and spent 107 nights in the hospital.

Yet through it all, her smile rarely disappeared.

Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, when hospital restrictions often separated the family, Mary Kate continued to face each day with remarkable courage, supported by a compᴀssionate team of doctors and nurses.

Her parents credit her oncologists, Dr. Reddy at UCSF and Dr. Sonali in Roseville, with providing exceptional care and unwavering support throughout the journey.

Between treatments, Mary Kate continued reaching precious milestones.

One of the family’s happiest memories was watching her take her very first steps—a reminder that joy could still exist even in the midst of relentless medical care.

At home, her daily routine revolved around medications and specialized treatments, including intrathecal chemotherapy delivered through an Ommaya reservoir.

Despite every effort, the disease continued to progress.

Later MRI scans revealed leptomeningeal spread, and her medical team explored every available option, including clinical trials.

Then came the news every parent fears.

On November 16, following a prolonged seizure and further progression of the cancer, it became clear that time was running short.

Just days later, on November 22, Mary Kate pᴀssed away peacefully—only four days before what would have been her second birthday.

The loss left an unimaginable emptiness in her family’s lives.

In the months that followed, they leaned on counseling, therapy, and one another as they learned to navigate life without their beloved little girl.

Determined to ensure her legacy would continue, the family created MK’s Tiny Toys, a small business that grew from one of her brother’s hobbies.

Today, 20% of every purchase supports the Mary Kate Funk Foundation, helping provide financial and emotional ᴀssistance to families facing childhood cancer.

Although Mary Kate’s life was heartbreakingly brief, her impact continues to reach far beyond her years.

Her family now shares her story to remind other parents that they are not alone—that even during life’s darkest moments, love, hope, faith, and community can provide strength to keep moving forward.

Mary Kate taught those around her to treasure every laugh, every hug, and every precious moment together.

Her beautiful legacy lives on through every family her foundation helps, proving that even the smallest lives can leave the greatest impact on the world.