6-month-old with brain cancer challenges family

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The act of waking up every morning – it's something Rose Newell and her husband don't take for granted anymore.

"I wake up every day and [I think] She's awake? Yes she's awake. She lived through the night," said Rose Newell, talking about her daughter.

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Six-month-old Megan Newell was diagnosed with brain cancer two months after she opened her eyes and met her mom and dad for the first time.

Initially doctors didn't think it was that serious. While she had a large mass on the left side of her brain, it was removed and the prognosis was good. But then, the tumor grew back. Newell says the doctor wasn't as hopeful the second time around.

"He said, 'I honestly, in March I gave you two weeks. I didn't expect her to be here.' So she just celebrated her 6-month birthday," said Newell, "It's insane where we are right now because she's just trekking along."

Rose says the technical term for the type of cancer Megan has is Glioblastoma multiforme. She says the cancer has literally sucked the life out of her daughter.

"I know it's cliché," said Newell, "but you don't think it's going to happen to you. I see on the news all the time [that] things happen, children die and this and that. I feel for those people. When it's happening to you, it's a completely different feeling. It's your child. It's like why? That's the hardest question because you don't know why."

Newell follows pages on Facebook of parents and children going through the same situation. She says this week alone, three of the children have died.

"It's heartbreaking because I know I'm going to at some point have to sit behind that computer and say my little girl died. It's hard. It's so hard," she said.

The experience is almost surreal. She says some days she's sad, other days mad, and many times numb. Right now Rose sits at home with her daughter – side by side with her husband, who is also currently not working. He is off on the Family Medical Leave Act, where your job is protected during medical emergencies for immediate family members.

Simply put – the family needs help.

"We have to get her buried, so to speak. I hate to be so morbid about it, but this is my last thing I get to do for her," Newell said fighting back tears, "I'm not going to be able to give her a wedding or anything. I want her to have the best funeral I can give her now."

Their looking to raise around $10,000 to help with medical bills and a proper funeral for Megan, if she passes. Right now the GoFundMe page they have set up has them about halfway there.