Friends and family - Early in September, my youngest niece, Charlotte (13), was diagnosed with Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia. She has been at the Boston Children's Hospital for the past five weeks receiving Chemotherapy and will remain there until she is well enough to return home.

Once she goes home, she will need to return to the hospital for outpatient treatment four days per week for the next eight months. This is incredibly devastating for the Durkee family. It is also financially crippling.

My mother, Marcia Colella; brother, Keith Durkee; and nieces, Brooke & Paige, make daily trips to visit Charlotte.

The gas, tolls, and parking fees are adding up quickly. The monthly average for travel to Boston and parking is $800 and will add up to over $5,000 by the time Charlotte has completed her outpatient treatment.

Keith with Marcia’s help continues to work, prepare meals, and get the kids to and from school and activities. Gwen has taken a leave of absence from work to be with Charlotte at the hospital full-time, so my goal is to raise $8,000 to cover the family's travel, parking fees, and other expenses for the duration of Charlotte's treatment.

A donation of $30 will help pay for one of the 266 days of travel to and from the hospital. I am asking you to consider donating to help pay for one or more days of travel, and if a donation is not possible, please share this with your friends and family.

With much gratitude.

Anthony M Colella