DMG Warrior Daniya

05/22/2026

It's been 10 years since God gave me the most perfectly precious gift. Though I was only able to hold you for 5 years in this life, that gift transcends time. When we are reunited for eternity, the entire life of this world will seem like a short blip in time, a distant memory. There will be nothing left for me to long for.
Happy birthday Dani. I wore this rainbowy-flowery print for you today. And, of course: ice cream!
🌹🏵🌼☘️💠🪻🌸

05/22/2025

🥹 Happy Birthday Dani 💓

Happy Heavenly Birthday, Daniya! 💜🎈Today, we celebrate the beautiful, bold, and bubble-loving spirit of sweet Daniya. Though she is Forever 5, she filled every moment with joy, laughter, and love. Daniya bravely battled DMG, a devastating form of brain cancer, for 10 months. With a larger than life personality she filled every room with light and laughter. We can only imagine the sparkle she’s bringing to Heaven today while she is swimming, sipping pickle juice, and blowing bubbles, cancer-free.

In her five precious years, Daniya gave her family a lifetime of unforgettable memories. As an Ambassador, her spirit continues to shine in the fight for a cure. We’re holding her family close in our hearts today, and always — may they feel her love wrapped around them. 💛

03/02/2025

I had no idea this was a thing. I've heard of people drinking pickle juice, I just thought it involved a jar of pickles.

It's funny the kind of things that can warm your heart and make you smile.

Or make your heart ache.

Usually it's both.

Dani must be knocking these back right now.
Are there /olive/ juicers too??

🙂

02/26/2025

This is the family of our very dear friends. They lost everything today. If you are able to donate anything, or share this link to help them, it would mean a lot to me. Prayers are appreciated as well. 💓 🙏

Hello, my sweet cousin her husband and her son were displaced from their home … Hanna Harris needs your support for Help My Cousin's Family Rebuild After Fire

07/07/2024

Our mission as an ambassador family for The Cure Starts Now is to keep fighting for kids like Daniya, until the day comes when DIPG and DMG are not a death sentence.

This month we are doing that by selling T-shirts (and tanks, long sleeves, and hoodies!) to raise money for pediatric brain cancer research. The hope is that by researching the most deadly form of childhood cancer, it will be a gateway to curing cancer altogether.

My father was diagnosed with brain cancer (glioblastoma) in December, so the cause has become doubly personal for us.

We would genuinely feel honored and so appreciative if you were able to help us in this mission, and spread awareness by wearing a Hearts of Gold shirt.

👕The back of the shirt features Daniya's name amongst all the warrior or angel ambassador families who share our mission. As always, 100% of profits will go towards research. (And if you bought a shirt last year, the designs are updated each year!)

❤️Thank you❤️

📣If ordering or donating, Please be sure to choose “DANIYA KETCHMAN” from the drop down list to note that you are showing support for Daniya! 🌈🦄🩷🌠

ORDER HERE:
http://csnevents.org/HeartsOfGold

⏰ These are PRE-ORDER shirt sales, only on sale from July 1-August 11.

💌Shirts will be mailed the last week of August to have in time for September (Childhood Cancer Awareness Month)🎗

05/22/2024

Eight years ago I met my very best buddy.

I don't know how eloquent or organized this will be because I've got some different thoughts swirling around my head...

I'm remembering her incessant newborn hiccups while holding her in the hospital bed. Brand new shiny little brown eyes peering from under the giant bow on her pink hospital cap.

When other things in my life get difficult, the pain of missing Daniya throbs. Imagine getting cold at night, but blankets don't exist anymore. It's something like that, I guess.

I purposely don't use the phrase "she would be [8] today". I want to be clear that I'm not commenting on anyone else's use of that phrasing. To each his/her own. Even when friends and family say it about Daniya, it doesn't bother me because I appreciate that they recognize the passing of time, and that is very important and meaningful with grief. But as for saying it myself, it just never felt quite right to me. My feelings may change, but this is how I feel right now:

Daniya was meant to be in my life for 5 years. No more, and no less. There was never going to be a 6, 7, or 8. To me, "Daniya" and "8" don't compute. She turned 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. Beyond that, it's not Daniya. Not in this world anyway.

Those subsequent years are not in deficit because the 5 were a beautiful gift and honor that was given to me. Maybe I don't feel right saying she "would be" 8 because it makes me feel like I'm overlooking or downplaying just how beautiful the 5 years were. It's like.... If someone gives me the most beautiful, special gift, it doesn't feel right saying what else that gift could have been. Besides, the Dani that lives in my heart and mind is always going to be 5, not more than that.

🌈Happy Birthday Dani. The first thing I want when I see you again iA is one of your super amazing, logic-defying, tiny-yet-larger-than-life hugs💓.