I’ve created this fundraiser to help my 8-year-old niece, Mia, and her family as they navigate a devastating and deeply unexpected medical crisis. Mia is an incredibly bright, sensitive and creative 8-year-old with a gentle heart and a strong spirit. Diagnosed with autism two years ago, she sees the world through a unique, thoughtful and curious lens, always asking questions, rescuing bugs, creating gifts for others, and dreaming of becoming both a veterinarian and a doctor so she can “save lives.” We call her our superhero. Never did we imagine how strong she'd need to be.

In March 2025, what began as a middle of the night trip to the ER for a bad stomach bug ended in a life-altering discovery. Completely unrelated to the stomach viruses, doctors made a terrifying discovery - a large tumor that had spread throughout the majority of her liver. What followed was an incredibly emotional rollercoaster... first being told it was cancer, then told it wasn’t, only to learn that the truth was something unpredictably dangerous.

Mia has an extremely rare (in children), fast-growing precancerous liver tumor called a beta-catenin activated hepatic adenoma. It has taken over most of her liver and carries a high risk of hemorrhage or cancerous transformation. On top of that, last month, doctors discovered an undiagnosed birth defect called an Abernethy Type 1 Malformation. It's an exceptionally rare defect (less than 200 cases ever documented worldwide) where her portal vein never formed correctly. This means her liver doesn’t have a healthy blood supply and can't filter toxins from her blood, functions that are critical for life.

Between the tumor’s size, the malformation and very little healthy liver tissue, removing the tumor is not an option. Her liver would not be able to regenerate itself. Additionally, there is no surgery that can fix the malformation with her current liver. Her family received the words no parent ever wants to hear: Mia needs a full liver transplant.

Through it all, Mia has stayed positive and hopeful. While she’s disappointed about missing out on a lot of fun activities due to the high risk of the tumor hemorrhaging, she’s still her sweet, goofy, wonderful self. And if you ever met Mia, you know she has ALL the questions for her doctors. She keeps everyone’s spirits up as they navigate this truly horrible and unexpected journey.

Mia’s mother (my sister), Claudia, is currently undergoing evaluation to see if she can be a live liver donor. If she's approved, they will undergo surgery at the same time in two different hospitals... a major, life-changing operation for both mother and daughter. While Mia receives her transplant, Claudia would be undergoing surgery to donate half of her liver, with her own long and painful recovery ahead. Mia’s father, Kevin, will be at the hospital with Mia, supporting her through this critical time. This fundraiser will go directly to Claudia (Marwan) Mazzatta to help prepare their home and family for what lies ahead and to get them through the incredibly difficult recovery period to come.

Donations will go directly to help support:

• Out-of-pocket medical expenses not covered by insurance

• Travel, food, and lodging for hospital visits and stays in Los Angeles

• Preparing a safe and calming recovery space for Mia at home

• Creating and maintaining a sterile environment throughout their home (including air filtration) to protect Mia’s fragile, immunocompromised system

• Homeschooling all three children to protect Mia’s fragile immune system (likely 6+ months)

• Loss of income as both parents take time off to undergo and support post-surgical recovery

• Long-term costs of medications, medical follow-ups, and specialized care after transplant

This was all very sudden and overwhelming. Mia’s post-op care will be intense. She’ll have no immune system for months, and her recovery will require 24/7 supervision, a sterile home, and lifelong anti-rejection medication. Her parents are doing everything they can, but they can’t do this alone.

If you're not in a position to give, we’d be so grateful if you could share Mia’s story. We also ask for your prayers. We deeply believe in the power of faith, community, and love, and we know God’s hand has already been guiding this journey, helping doctors uncover something so rare in time to save her life.

Thank you for taking the time to read this. Your compassion and support mean the world to our family. This is a journey no one expects to take, but we're walking it together with faith, resilience, and hope.

Our little superhero’s got this.