NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- For eight-year-old Charlee Citera of Staten Island, a routine check-up in September with her doctor turned into the fight of her short life -- literally.
The third-grader from the borough's South Shore neighborhood of Annadale was with her parents in the waiting room afterwards, but then the doctor asked Charlee's parents to speak with her for an urgent update on their daughter's health.
"The finger prick blood test, something didn't come back right, " Charlee's dad, NYPD detective Tommy Citera told 1010 WINS. "'We're going to do the test again [the doctor said,' so they did the test again and this time they took it directly from her vein in her arm."
What followed shook the Citera family: "And then the doctor said, 'Dad, can you come with me in the other room?' She pulled me into the other room and then that's when she basically dropped the bomb on me: 'Listen, your daughter's blood test is indicating that she possibly has leukemia."
Charlee's been at Staten Island University Hospital North, a Northwell Health facility, for two months. She's been diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia, a type of cancer that affects the blood and bone marrow.
A GoFundMe page, "Support Charlee Citera's Fight Against Leukemia," has been set-up with a goal of raising $100,000 -- as of Nov. 1, it had raised $118,754 from more than 1,300 donations.
"Charlee is a courageous warrior who has not let the news break her spirit, and we know that her strength will shine through," reads the GoFundMe page. "Charlee is so many things, but what I love the most about her, is her laugh. It’s infectious. She’s also super funny, friendly and lovable."
The page asks for donations "to help alleviate the stress her father Tom Citera and her mom Jaime Citera are going to face."
The Detectives' Endowment Association is also holding a Casino Night fundraiser for Charlee on Jan. 18 on Staten Island. Click here for more information.
The family is searching for a bone marrow donor. Click here for more information.