20-Month-Old Mariah Battles Health Challenges with Joy

At just 20 months old, Mariah, a spirited toddler from Danville, Kentucky, continues to find joy in life despite facing significant health challenges. After hours connected to a dialysis machine, she remains cheerful, calling out “Hi! Hi! Hiiii!” while waving and scooting across the floor. Her laughter is a stark contrast to the serious medical battles she has fought since birth.

Mariah was born at the UK Hospital in Kentucky but was quickly transferred to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital due to a rare medical condition known as a cloacal anomaly. Her mother, Deborah Way, explained that the condition required immediate surgical intervention that could not be performed at her initial hospital. “They told me she has a cloacal anomaly and that she would have to be sent to Cincinnati Children’s because they couldn’t do the surgery on a baby her size,” Way said.

In addition to the cloacal anomaly, doctors discovered that Mariah has two kidneys that are fused together and positioned low in her pelvis. As her health was monitored, she was also diagnosed with retinoblastoma, a rare form of eye cancer related to the RB1 gene. This led to a grueling treatment regimen that included chemotherapy from her first month until December 2024. Eventually, her medical team made the difficult decision to stop the treatment due to her body’s inability to tolerate it.

Mariah’s upbeat personality has remained remarkably resilient throughout these challenges. “It is so out of the ordinary for her not to be this bubbly, happy baby. It is God-sent really,” Way remarked. However, last summer marked another significant turning point in her health journey. As her kidney function continued to decline, doctors determined that dialysis was essential for her survival.

“Lots of driving, lots of treatment, but she needs it to stay alive. It is literally her livelihood,” Way stated. Mariah’s family makes the exhausting three-hour trip three times a week from Danville to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital for her treatments. Way expressed concerns about their transportation, noting, “Half the time it doesn’t start,” referring to the vehicle they currently rely on.

Further complicating matters, Mariah was diagnosed with severe hip dysplasia in April 2024, which will require corrective surgery. This procedure will necessitate a special spica cast and a medical car seat, demanding a vehicle large enough to accommodate her needs.

Despite these hurdles, Way finds comfort in her faith. “I like to pray in the car before we travel, and my 4-year-old knows that. She’s like, ‘Mommy, let’s pray,’ so that’s just like my comfort in between finding the happiness and treasuring the moments I have because you never know when could be the last day,” she shared. Way is all too familiar with the fear of loss; she tragically lost her firstborn to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) at just over a month old.

“That loss is also where my strength comes from,” Way reflected. “I think that is what gives me the strength to just fight, and fight and fight, because I didn’t get to with him.”

Currently, Mariah continues her treatments at Cincinnati Children’s, surrounded by a family committed to providing her with every opportunity for a healthier future. The community has begun to rally around them, providing support and encouragement. Updates on Mariah’s journey, along with ways to assist her family, are shared on the Team Mariah Facebook page, where friends and strangers alike offer prayers and help.

Through cancer, kidney failure, and countless hospital visits, Mariah remains, as her mother describes, “a happy baby.” Her spirit serves as a testament to resilience in the face of overwhelming odds.