In Support of Maggie Derby
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Maggie is a sassy, resilient, and joyful four-year-old who fills every space with light. She lives with a rare gene-related neurological condition that affects how her brain communicates with her body, impacting movement, muscle tone, coordination, and overall development. For children like Maggie, access to the right therapies—especially early in life—can make a profound difference in what their future looks like.
One of the most impactful parts of Maggie’s care has been Dynamic Movement Intervention (DMI), a specialized therapy focused on building strength, control, and purposeful movement. DMI is especially powerful for children with neurological and genetic conditions because it meets them where they are and turns hard work into play. Maggie works with SMILE Therapy for Kids in Burlington, Ontario, where therapy is intentionally designed to help Maggie stay engaged while pushing her body and brain to grow together. SMILE Therapy for Kids is under the direction of Jo-Anne Weltman, the co-founder of DMI therapy which allows Maggie to receive the most intensive and personalized therapy possible.
Each trip to Canada costs approximately $5,000–$6,000, which is significantly less than traveling to a comparable intensive in the United States. Still, the cost is substantial, and because early intervention has such a strong impact on development, the goal for the coming year is for Maggie to complete two full rounds of intensive therapy while she is still young and her brain is most adaptable.
The reality is that raising a child with complex medical needs is not an even playing field. While it costs an average of about $240,000 to raise a neurotypical child, families raising a child with a disability often face lifetime costs ranging from $1.4 to $2.4 million—much of it paid out of pocket. Chris and Blythe are doing everything they can to give Maggie not just what she needs to survive, but what she needs to thrive.
As a community, we are wrapping our arms around the Derby family and stepping in to help make this possible. No gift is too small, no prayer goes unnoticed, and every bit of support means more than words can express. Please follow along here, where Blythe will be sharing updates on Maggie’s journey—celebrating progress, perseverance, and the beautiful, sassy joy that is Maggie.
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- Created Jan 18, 2026
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