The Live Like Maya Foundation
2025 Non-Profit of the Year Finalist
MADE Chamber & Community Involvement:
The Live Like Maya Foundation supports many community initiatives including scholarships for rising seniors at Mason High School, Angel Alley (a beautiful memorial in honor of many children who have passed away within the community), and teachers at Mason City Schools. Not only do we support our local community, but we also support families in the area who have children in cancer treatment. We provide direct financial support, such as assistance with medical bills, housing, utilities, travel and more. Our goal is to ease the burden for these families so they may focus on nurturing their child back to health. This year we will be hosting our first prom for critically ill children, teens and young adults. We hope to offer the opportunity for these kids to attend prom, and for their families to be able to experience their child attending prom. We hope to create lasting memories for these families.
Fun Facts About You/Your Business:
We are on track to hit the $1 million mark this year, supporting families who have children in cancer treatment, pediatric cancer research and giving back to our amazing community!
A Bit About The Live Like Maya Foundation
In 2011 Maya Grace Collins, a Mason resident, was tragically diagnosed with an aggressive form of leukemia at the age of 7 ½ and passed away in 2017 after a grueling 6 ½ year battle including 3 bone marrow transplants, two at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, and her final, Hail Mary transplant at St. Jude Chidren’s Research Hospital. Maya’s journey changed the trajectory of her family’s life in a profound way. In 2019 The Live Like Maya Foundation was born with the intent to pay-it-forward to the Mason/Deerfield community for the incredible support that they bestowed upon the Collins family during Maya’s journey. Since the inception of the foundation, Live Like Maya has raised close to $1 million to support local pediatric cancer families, pediatric cancer research, scholarships and “kindness initiatives” within the Mason/Deerfield community.
Learn A Bit More
Why is being part of the Mason Deerfield Chamber important to you/your organization?
Like the amethys, businesses and organizations have many facets. Which facet is your strength and why?
If your company culture, or personal persona, had to be summed up in five words or less, reflective of a
gemstone, what would they be?
The support of our community is crucial. Networking and sharing our mission within the community not only helps us gain support, but also allows us to give back to the community and pay-it-forward for all that they have done for our family during our daughter's 6 1/2 year battle with cancer.
The Live Like Maya Foundation has many facets: financial support, emotional care, advocacy, research funding, and community building—all working together to reflect compassion and strength.
Do Good, Save Lives.