Declan Experiences the Universe (DEU)
"A Father’s Promise. A Boy’s Light. A Universe of Love."
Hi, I’m Boston, proud dad of Declan — a soon-to-be 4-year-old warrior (born on New Year’s Day!) fighting Stage IV rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare and aggressive childhood cancer that strikes fewer than 250 kids each year.
Declan’s odds are steep, but his spirit is stronger. He’s already helped raise hundreds of thousands for other children with cancer — proving that even the smallest light can reach galaxies far, far away.
Now, we’re on a mission to help him experience the universe — and to help the universe experience him.
“Kids like Declan deserve to see the universe — and I’ll move mountains, bend time, fight death itself, and summon every star to make sure he does.”
What “DEU” Means
Declan Experiences the Universe (DEU) isn’t just a fundraiser — it’s a movement of gratitude, courage, and community.
Together we’re:
✨ Helping Declan live his biggest dreams.
✨ Giving back to the nonprofits that lifted us.
✨ Building a foundation so other kids can experience their own universes.
We’re not counting days anymore — we’re making them count.
Every act of kindness is a spark. Together, we can make a constellation.
Declan’s Universe Experiences
Declan’s dream list is long, wild, and pure. Some he’s done, some we’re still chasing:
⚔️ Fight the Predator
Fight the Terminator
⚒️ Battle alongside Vikings
Ring the Harley Bell of Hope with Justin “Danger” Nunley
Mine for Gold / Use a Metal Detector
Swim with Dolphins or Manatees
Meet Iron Man (RDJ) and the Avengers
Meet & Battle The Rock (Maui in Moana)
Ride and Use Earth-Moving Equipment
Learn Archery & Bushcraft
Ride in a Monster Truck
Pet a “real” Dinosaur
Fly like Iron Man
Go to Space
See Fall in New England
Completed:
⚽️ Play Soccer with a Real Team ✅
Ride with Firefighters ✅
️ Ride a Harley ✅
Go Fishing ✅
And now — help other kids with cancer experience the universe.
Maybe, just maybe — find a way to live forever through the love he leaves behind.
️ Bell Ringing Celebration
We’re postponing Declan’s Bell Ringing until April–May (TBD) — a day to gather every person, nonprofit, rider, and dreamer who’s helped DEU, and celebrate not an ending, but a universe’s beginning — built on love. Helo, Declan’s dog, is still by his side, fighting the good fight.
And his Nana is about to begin her own radiation and chemotherapy — joining the warrior ranks beside him.
⚔️ The Warrior Council
Anyone who suggests an experience we complete, or helps make one possible, becomes part of the Warrior Council.
Each member will receive a Viking arm ring — a symbol of loyalty, gratitude, and shared strength. (Arm rings coming soon.)
Because in this family, giving isn’t charity — it’s kinship.
The Heroes Who’ve Helped Us
These are the hands that have held us steady — and they deserve every ounce of our gratitude. If you feel moved, please support them directly or through DEU.
Supporting pediatric-cancer families with heart and humor. They show up the moment a childhood cancer diagnosis arrives — providing gas cards, food cards, hospital gear, and smiles when families need them most.
Hospice for Children — Compassion and care when families need it most. When the fight goes deep, you need more than medicine — you need humanity, hope, and home-based care.
(Webb Kosich) — Honoring Declan’s warrior friend through sport, courage, and community.
Delivering books and imagination to every child. Because even in the hardest times, the mind should be free to roam the universe — and reading opens worlds.
When no store in D.C. would open early or stay late for Declan, Uncle B’s in Yorktown did. They sent toys weekly during his treatments — and their generosity has been as healing as any medicine.
You can order gifts directly from Uncle B’s for your friends, family, or a child like Declan. If you buy a toy or gift card and want it delivered to the oncology ward at CHKD, we’ll personally deliver those gifts every week to kids fighting just like Declan. Every toy carries hope — and every bit of hope matters.
Courage isn’t loud — it’s steady. It’s laughter in hospital halls, strangers becoming family, and love transforming pain into purpose. To everyone who has stood with us — thank you for helping Declan light up the world.
We’re not just living days anymore… we’re forging experiences.
⭐ Stars burn out, but their light travels forever.
Declan’s will too. We don’t know how many moments we have left — but we know how to make them matter. Help us show Declan the universe… and help the universe remember his light.
Boston Carberry
Follow Declan’s Journey:
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