In the gripping Netflix documentary “Take Care of Maya,” viewers are taken on an emotional journey that highlights the devastating consequences when a family’s pursuit of medical treatment for their child ends in tragedy.
The film follows the Kowalski family as they battle against the US healthcare system and child protection services, which mistakenly interpret their efforts to help their ailing daughter as abuse, leading to their painful separation.
Take Care of Maya (2023) Full Hd Movie Review
Maya Kowalski, a young girl plagued by undiagnosed symptoms of severe pain and impaired muscle movement, becomes the center of a heart-wrenching ordeal. Determined to alleviate Maya’s suffering, her parents, especially her mother Beata, a registered nurse practitioner, advocate for the use of ketamine treatment.
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| Movie Title | Take Care of Maya |
|---|---|
| Director | Henry Roosevelt |
| Release Year | N/A |
| Genre | Documentary |
| Duration | N/A |
| Rating | 3/5 |
| Synopsis | Follows the Kowalski family’s battle against the |
| US healthcare system and child protection | |
| services after seeking treatment for their | |
| daughter Maya leads to tragedy and their | |
| separation. | |
| Main Characters | – Maya Kowalski |
| – Beata Kowalski (Maya’s mother) | |
| – Medical professionals | |
| – Legal representatives | |
| – Child protection services personnel | |
| Key Themes | – Medical advocacy |
| – Misdiagnosis and mistreatment | |
| – Family tragedy and separation | |
| – Legal battles and injustice | |
| – Healthcare system flaws | |
| – Child protection services | |
| Availability | Netflix |
| Release Date | N/A |
| Language | English |
| Awards | N/A |
However, doctors at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital refuse their request and even suspect Beata of fabricating Maya’s condition, suggesting the possibility of Munchausen by Proxy.
Within a matter of days, the unimaginable happens—Maya is taken away from her family and becomes a ward of the state. Beata is forbidden from seeing her daughter, tearing the Kowalski family apart. The hospital’s perception of Beata as an assertive and persistent parent, advocating for her daughter’s needs, compounds the situation.
As the realization sinks in that her presence is a barrier to reuniting with Maya, Beata takes a heart-wrenching and drastic step. Even years later, the Kowalski family continues to fight a grueling legal battle against the hospital.
As parents, the Kowalskis embody the universal instinct to do everything in their power to relieve their child’s suffering. The documentary reveals their relentless efforts to find answers for Maya’s debilitating symptoms. Dr. Anthony Kirkpatrick becomes their beacon of hope, offering a diagnosis and a treatment plan involving ketamine.
They even embark on an arduous journey to Mexico for an experimental ketamine coma treatment, which temporarily alleviates Maya’s condition.
However, the Kowalski family’s world crumbles when a sudden flare-up necessitates a visit to Johns Hopkins. Despite their best intentions, medical practitioners dismiss previous diagnoses and treatment histories. When Beata advocates for specific instructions regarding a potentially harmful drug, the medical staff’s alarm bells ring, leading them to draw their own conclusions and prioritize the child’s safety over her alleged health issues.
Directed by Henry Roosevelt, “Take Care of Maya” poignantly chronicles Maya’s symptoms, initial diagnosis, the experimental ketamine treatment, and the subsequent ordeal at Johns Hopkins.
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The film showcases the heart-wrenching three-month captivity of Maya in the hospital, during which she is cruelly separated from her parents, particularly her mother Beata. The traumatic experience ultimately drives Beata to a tragic decision.
The documentary also sheds light on the Kowalski family’s ongoing pursuit of justice, albeit with frustrating legal obstacles erected by the hospital’s formidable legal team.
One striking aspect for international viewers is the approach of the Child Protection Service, which hastily concludes within minutes that medical abuse is at play and dismisses Maya’s symptoms as psychological.
The film presents contrasting visuals of Maya’s well-being during her hospital stay without ketamine, leaving viewers uncertain about the accuracy of her chronic pain diagnosis. The question of whether Beata’s mental health played a role in the tragedy or if her frustration at being misunderstood pushed her towards suicide remains unanswered, leaving us with a lingering sense of sadness.
“Take Care of Maya” is an emotionally-charged documentary that immerses viewers in the tragedy suffered by the Kowalski family and the injustice they endure. The fact that their legal battle continues unresolved adds to the poignancy of the story.
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It serves as a stark reminder that those entrusted with care can sometimes inflict more harm than good. Ultimately, the question of blame—whether it lies with Beata Kowalski or with Johns Hopkins—remains shrouded in uncertainty, leaving us to ponder the complex nature of this heartbreaking tale.
