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Wolfson Children's Hospital, Tom Coughlin Jay Fund help local families take on childhood cancer

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Every three minutes a family learns their child has been diagnosed with cancer.

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness month.

Action News Jax is introducing you to one of the many families  our Family Focus Partner – Wolfson Children's Hospital -- is working to help in the battle against the sickness.

"All this stuff almost took her life maybe like five times, and she managed to stay strong," said Joel Toro.

Toro is talking about his 15-year-old daughter, Angeliz.

Toro and his wife, Glenda Vega, are two of the people Action News Jax's Courtney Cole met on Tuesday as she visited the oncology floor of Wolfson Children's Hospital.

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They told Action News Jax Courtney Cole she's been battling Leukemia for more than two years—but this 110-day hospital stay has been the longest for Angeliz.

"She's brave. She's the most wonderful thing that came into my life...she's been through a lot," said Toro.

...And it's a battle they all plan to win.

"As mom and dad, we're going to fight with her, even though she's dealing with it," said Vega.

Cole stopped by to help drop off a goodie bag and spread some positivity...something Toro and Vega say they work hard to do, as well.

"We can't let her see that we get sad, it would make it harder," said Toro.

Thanks to local community partners like Wolfson, families like this one don't have to take this journey on their own.

And their ability to pay will never affect their eligibility for treatment.

The nonprofit relies on donations from people just like you to keep treatment going.

The Tom Coughlin Jay Fund Foundation helps hundreds of families, day in and day out, as they have children who are battling cancer. Families Cole spoke to said it's all a team effort.

The Tom Coughlin Jay Fund has helped more than 5,000 families — and given away more than $11 million in grants helping families in Northeast Florida, New York and New Jersey.

Vega and Toro told Cole the support from both organizations is incredible.

"She feels that support and love ... if it's either from the nurses here or the doctors ... like I said, they're like family to us," said Vega.

"They did everything for my daughter to be here now and I appreciate everything they do," said Toro.

To learn more about the Tom Coughlin Jay Fund Foundation and how you can donate, click here.

To learn more about Wolfson Children's Hospital and how you can help, click here.

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