Can You Help: NT girl in need of donations & prayers

Ginny Fagard is 15 years old and battling for her life. The North Tonawanda girl was struck with leukemia at the age of 4 years old. The toll of chemo and radiation wreaked havoc on her young and fragile body, but she did beat the dreaded disease.

Unfortunately, at the age of 14, Ginny was diagnosed with brain cancer, oligodendroglioma/astroocytoma to be exact. There is no cure. Although her prognosis is grim, Ginny and her mom, Michele Lloyd, and stepfather, Tom, are trying to make the most of every day Ginny has -- and refusing to give up.

After undergoing more aggressive chemotherapy and radiation treatments, she had to undergo surgery on a head wound that had become infected. The surgery was not successful and her wound cannot stay closed despite skin grafts. She was sent home with a wound vac device, which will hopefully limit infection and help to heal the wound. Michele says she is done putting Ginny through this torture and has been using medical marijuana in the hopes that it could offer her daughter some relief or, perhaps, even a cure.

"It's our last hope for Ginny and, if it can't help her, it's at least making her feel good and able to sleep and eat for now. It's very expensive, but so far it is the only thing that has actually helped her," Michele said.

Family friend Lisa Cretacci has been trying to help the family with fundraisers and by bringing attention to the family's mounting debts. Michele had to leave her job to take care of Ginny full time.

Cretacci said, "I am a single mother who lost my only son Jake due to a spinal tumor last year. I am myself a cancer survivor. Helping this family is helping me to survive the unimaginable pain I am experiencing. I know what it is like to walk this dark, scary and ugly road. I have learned through my own pain that there is nothing more important than helping others. We all need someone to reach out a hand sometime in this difficult journey through life. It is beyond frightening and exhausting to hold your breath and wonder what will come next for your child. What will the scans show? Will the medicine work? It is hell."

A YouCaring page has been set up for Ginny. No amount is too small to help support this brave girl and her family. The address is www.youcaring.com/ginnyfagard-694742. One can also follow Ginny's Journey on her Facebook page and send her some well wishes.