Jul 31, 2009 6:36 pm US/Central
Girl, 3, Loses Cancer Battle
APPLE VALLEY, Minn. (WCCO) ―
-
-
Mary O'Keefe, 3, had Neuroblastoma, a childhood cancer that starts in the adrenal gland and quickly spreads to the neck, chest, stomach and pelvis.
CBS
Last week, friends, neighbors and strangers held a garage sale to benefit a special little girl, seriously ill with Neuroblastoma, a childhood cancer that starts in the adrenal gland and quickly spreads to the neck, chest, stomach and pelvis.
"They gave her one month to live," said Mary's mother, Christine O'Keefe. "I cry ... that's all I do is cry."
On Thursday, Mary died. She was three years old.
"It was tough. She died yesterday in my arms, at 2 p.m.," said Christine O'Keefe. "But she watched me the whole time and I kept going, 'You're going to be okay' and talked to her gently and she finally relaxed and let go."
"She just loved life but the one thing she said the day before she died, 'Mommy, don't cry.' She didn't want us to cry, she wanted us to be happy," said Christine O'Keefe.
The garage sale raised more than $13,000 for the family. People paid what they wanted for items and many donated cash.
"People just started bringing their things and we started setting them up and this is what you have," explained neighbor Nancy Duehn.
One woman drove for more than an hour to donate items.
"They're a great family. You want to anything you can to try to help. You don't ever want anybody to have to go through something like this," said Brooke Foley, who drove all the way from Green Isle, Minn.
A walk for Neuroblastoma is going to be held in August in Mary's name. It will be on Aug. 23 at 1 p.m. at the Johnny Cake Ridge Park in Apple Valley, Minn. A family friend said the walk was originally going to be a fundraiser for the family, but now it will be a walk in Mary's honor.
"We do believe that she was probably born with Neuroblastoma, or darn near close to it, it came on really early in life, it took about 18 months for us to start seeing the signs," said Mary's father, Peter O'Keefe.
"My baby is in heaven, singing and dancing up there and making lots of friends," said Christine O'Keefe.
Donation Information
CaringBridge.org: Mary O'Keefe
CharityWarriors.com: Mary's Walk For Neuroblastoma
Sonya Goins, Producer Contact Sonya
(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
Click to enlarge
Brothers Accused Of Killing Sister In Court 5 mins ago
Stumble It!
