Marta Christine Maier

July 18, 2016 – September 18, 2026

Marta Christine Maier, 10, of Severna Park, Maryland, passed away peacefully in her mother Megan Maier’s arms on September 18, 2026, after a brief and courageous journey with the pediatric cancer diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG).

Marta was born on July 18, 2016, in Baltimore, Maryland, to Megan and Gabriel Maier. At the time of her passing, Marta was a fifth-grade student at Benfield Elementary in Severna Park, Maryland.

Marta “Beanie” Maier was the intensely loving center of her immediate and extended family. She was an overwhelmingly attentive, supportive, and effusive big sister to her little sister, Jane. She delighted in being the oldest of her twelve cousins and remains their brightest light and role model.

Every day of Marta’s ten years was spent spreading joy, warmth, and laughter. During her too-short life, she played the piano and violin, acted, wrote poetry, and loved her friends intensely, especially her “bestie,” Nora Stern. She played soccer and lacrosse, loved swimming at Andover Pool, enjoyed cozy family time, holding babies, movies with her dad, dates with her mom, crafting, art, campfires and s'mores, sleepovers, playdates, travel to see family in Wales and France, and annual beach vacations to Myrtle Beach and Point Pleasant Beach with her extended family.

Marta most dedicated herself to her cherished role as Jane’s big sister. Marta and Jane spent seven inseparable years together. Marta began talking to Jane the moment she came home from the hospital and was crestfallen when she learned newborns couldn’t chatter back. Marta walked Jane to pre-school at Linthicum Heights United Methodist Church, introduced her to her friends and teachers at Linthicum Elementary School, and shared with her every “treat-and-treasure” earned from her oncology and radiation appointments. Although three years apart in age, they were the same height and size and shared the same bed, bathtub, clothes, movie preferences, craft books, music interests, and friendships.

For Halloween, Marta planned to be a Bar-ba-loot from The Lorax in a group costume with Jane and Nora. Marta dreamed of growing up to be an author, as she didn’t want to go to work and wanted to make a lot of money while staying at home with her family. She dreamed of attending Johns Hopkins University so she could live at home and her dad could still drive her to school every day. Her hope was to grow old but never to be separated from the holiday traditions of warmth and celebration that her mother lovingly created. Marta most looked forward to Christmas, the “Halloween Fairy” visiting to decorate for Halloween, and any chance to watch her “crush”, 38-year-old Harrison Ford, in Indiana Jones and Raiders of the Lost Ark with her dad.

Marta attended school through the entirety of her illness and was supported by the entire Benfield Elementary community. She flourished at Benfield, receiving special support from Assistant Principal Missy Fuson and personal aide Jennifer Atkin. Prior to Benfield Elementary, she was a stellar student at Linthicum Elementary School and fell in love with education through her adored second-grade teacher, Delaney Owens, annual schoolwide celebrations, walking to school, and her many friends.

She will be remembered most for her tender heart, sense of humor, and intensely loving nature, which persisted entirely intact through her debilitating journey with cancer.

Her struggle with cancer was never a fight or battle, as there was no aggression or anger in her body. She lived with cancer how she always lived—by further burrowing herself into the loving embrace and comfort of her family. She taught those around her that courage is kindness, and bravery can be as simple as persisting in living well even during the absolute worst circumstances.

Marta is survived by her parents, Megan and Gabriel; her dearly beloved sister, Jane Frances Maier, who remains the single most important person in her life; her maternal grandparents, Sharon and Christopher Brodie; and her paternal grandparents, Kathleen and Patrick Maier.

Aunts and uncles: Devin Maier and Cassia Denton, Gloria Maier and Steven Dean, Martin and Lauren Maier, Elizabeth and Robert Leach, Kevin and Kelly Brodie, and Jennifer Brodie.

Cousins: Cullen Brodie, Claire Brodie, Dylan Maier, Liam Maier, Gwendolyn Leach, Aled Leach, Elin Leach, Jac Leach, Cora Maier, Jasper Maier, Cameron Maier, and Logan Maier.

Beloved pets: Cats Mr. B and Mow Mow, and her goldfish, Gracie.

She was preceded in death by her namesakes: her maternal great-grandmother Marta Krauter and her aunt Christine Maier, as well as her influential great-aunt Maureen O’Bryon and great-grandparents William and Frances Brodie.

The family wishes to extend their deepest gratitude to Benfield Elementary School, the Linthicum Elementary community, her medical teams at Children’s National Hospital and Johns Hopkins Children's Center, and her child life specialists for their extraordinary care, dedication, and compassion while helping Marta and her parents navigate a universally terminal diagnosis.

Special thanks to our Linthicum and Severna Park communities, and dear friends who assisted with her care, including beloved “mom-friends” Kim Schaefer, Natalie Burns, Amanda Coursey, Tanya Shedlock, Kim Stern, and Damara Bond. Thank you to our community of supporters near and far, including every one of her GoFundMe supporters, for their unwavering love, prayers, and support throughout this journey.

A celebration of Marta's life will be held on October 17th at 11:00 AM at St. John’s Lutheran Church, 300 West Maple Road, Linthicum Heights, MD 21090. Guests are encouraged to embrace Marta’s favorite colors—light blue and lavender—and butterflies in their attire and attendance.

Marta cared deeply about the plight of the homeless and less fortunate, the health of butterflies and pollinators, the environment, and every sea animal. She was an avowed “Nugget-arian” and didn’t believe animals should be harmed or mistreated for food, except for chicken nuggets.

Marta’s parents supported Marta in these beliefs and equally care about the plight of other children and families who may experience the scourge of DIPG or a similar diagnosis. They want to raise awareness that rare pediatric diseases and cancers still exist that have no standard curative treatments and effectively zero long-term survivability. They share a core belief that federally and foundation-funded medical research saves lives. Marta died while participating in a Phase II trial of the oral medication ACT001 to treat children and teens with DIPG, and her brain and tumor material was donated to Gift from a Child, a national initiative supported by families who have lost children to brain cancer, to assist with developing future novel therapeutics.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Marta’s memory to the DIPG/DMG Collaboration Foundation (https://dipgcollaborative.org/) or Annapolis Light House (https://annapolislighthouse.org/). Information will be made available by the family in the coming days on how we can remember Marta and her love for butterflies and pollinators through gardening.