One of the biggest challenges of taking care of others is setting boundaries. It's essential to prioritize our own needs and well-being, while also being present and supportive for those around us. By establishing clear boundaries and communicating openly, we can avoid burnout and ensure that we're able to provide the support and care that others need.
To manage her symptoms, Maya was treated with high doses of ketamine, including a controversial "ketamine coma" in Mexico that successfully reduced her pain. For over a year, she continued on a high-dosage ketamine regimen prescribed by a specialist. The Incident at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital
Within days of admission, a child protection team at the hospital concluded that Beata Kowalski was suffering from —now known as Factitious Disorder Imposed on Another. In this diagnosis, a caregiver fabricates or induces illness in a child to gain attention and sympathy. Take Care of Maya
That ordinariness ended in the fall of 2015. Maya began complaining of severe stomach pain, fatigue, and a strange sensation that her legs were "on fire." After months of misdiagnoses and terrifying episodes where Maya would twist into painful, involuntary postures (later identified as dystonia), the family landed at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida.
The film highlights the devastating speed of this process. Within days of admission, a petition was filed to declare Maya a “dependent child.” Protective separation, intended to be a last resort, was deployed as a first strike. The hospital, meanwhile, continued to hold Maya for months, billing the family over $1 million, even as it claimed she was not medically ill. The logic was Kafkaesque: Maya had no organic illness, they argued, yet she required hospitalization to be “detoxed” from her mother’s influence. The state became the disease. One of the biggest challenges of taking care
In interviews following the documentary, Maya has described watching the film as "reliving a war." She has become an unlikely activist, speaking out against the misuse of Munchausen by proxy accusations and advocating for medical trauma awareness.
One possible interpretation of "Take Care of Maya" is that it represents a plea for support and understanding. Maya, in this context, may be a person who is struggling with mental health issues, facing a difficult situation, or simply needs someone to listen and offer a helping hand. By taking care of Maya, we are showing empathy, compassion, and kindness – essential qualities that can make a significant difference in someone's life. To manage her symptoms, Maya was treated with
The jury took less than ten hours to reach a verdict. They found Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital liable for false imprisonment, medical battery, and causing Beata’s wrongful death. They awarded the Kowalski family —one of the largest medical malpractice verdicts in U.S. history.
The documentary Take Care of Maya covers the death of Beata, but the story doesn't end there. In 2021, Jack Kowalski, on behalf of Maya and the estate of Beata, took Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital to court for medical negligence, wrongful death, and fraudulent misrepresentation.
When the documentary Take Care of Maya premiered on Netflix in June 2023, few viewers were prepared for the emotional avalanche that followed. Within weeks, the film had become a global sensation, not just because of its heartbreaking narrative, but because it forced a difficult question upon millions of parents and medical professionals: What happens when the system designed to protect a child becomes the very thing they need saving from?