Massimo's Story

Massimo was born on May 21, 2024, to parents Amanda and Patrick.

In his first few months, Massimo’s paediatrician became concerned about his head growth and lack of neck control. On the paediatrician’s advice, Amanda brought Massimo to the Emergency Room at SickKids and request he undergo an MRI to investigate these early signs.

At just four months old, after extensive testing and two craniotomies, Amanda and Patrick received devastating news: Massimo had an aggressive, cancerous brain tumour called medulloblastoma. The cancer was rapidly spreading throughout his head and was inoperable. They also learned that Massimo has a rare genetic disorder causing developmental abnormalities and a predisposition to cancer — the disorder responsible for the tumour.

As Amanda shared, “If this were just 5 years ago, Massimo would have been given a lot more treatment including multiple bone marrow transplants and other toxic therapies. He would have been given the most aggressive chemo protocol, which would have significantly impacted his physical and mental development. He would not have had a normal life, if he even survived treatment.”

This remarkable shift in what was possible for Massimo is thanks, in part, to Meagan Bebenek Foundation research funding.

Massimo began a six-month course of chemotherapy in November 2024, which he completed in April 2025.

The MBF community had the great honour of hearing Amanda speak at this year’s HUG, where she shared Massimo’s resilience and reminded everyone of the importance of our work and the real, tangible impact it is making.

The entire crowd was moved as she shared the news everyone hoped for: Massimo’s tumour was gone. Just weeks before his first birthday, he rang the bell.

Amanda and Patrick expressed profound gratitude for the support that helped make their son’s recovery possible. “The Foundation’s funding of Dr. Ramaswamy’s research was central to Massimo’s personalized treatment plan. This research, funded by people like you, has not only saved Massimo’s life…it has also saved his quality of life.”

Amanda added, “his quality of life has been saved is a result of the advancements in research, which our physicians, his physicians tell us as a direct result of the funding they received from the foundation.”

Massimo’s story is one of resilience, hope, and a powerful reminder of how advances in research can completely transform a child’s future.